711.008 North Pacific/304a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan ( Grew )
90. The Washington Post carried today an Associated Press despatch under Tokyo date line March 15, as follows:
“An eleventh-hour disagreement over an undisclosed point today delayed settlement of the Alaskan fishery problem between the United States and Japan.
A reliable source said the negotiations would be reopened ‘on a totally new basis’.”
2. For your information, the Department feels that it would be very unfortunate to have proposed, at this advanced stage of negotiations on the lines already worked on, a new basis of negotiation.