811.0141 Phoenix Group/117
The British Ambassador ( Lindsay ) to the Secretary of State
His Majesty’s Ambassador presents his compliments to the Secretary of State and has the honour to inform Mr. Hull that Mr. Mallet duly communicated the substance of the latter’s note of February 8th regarding certain islands in the Pacific to His Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Sir Ronald Lindsay has now been instructed to assure Mr. Hull that His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom are devoting careful consideration to the renewal of the United States Government’s offer of August, 1937,22 to enter [Page 309] into discussions concerning the status and use of those Pacific islands which both Governments claim.
Every effort will be made to expedite a reply which must however it will be appreciated involve a certain delay owing to the necessity of consulting His Majesty’s Government in the Commonwealth of Australia, His Majesty’s Government in New Zealand, and the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific.