851A.01/51
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Adviser on Political Relations (Dunn)
Mr. Hoyer Millar, First Secretary of the British Embassy, came in this afternoon by appointment to say that one point which the British Foreign Office wished to make clear with respect to the St. Pierre-Miquelon situation was that from the point of view of security and [Page 569] safety of British shipping and the war situation, the British military authorities had not thought that control and supervision of the radio stations on those islands were sufficient but that a control of the islands themselves was necessary.
I told Mr. Hoyer Millar that there was every reason to believe that some arrangement might have been satisfactorily arrived at in order to take care of any dangers to shipping or war activities of the British, Canadian, or American interests, but that the interjection of the Free French authorities into the situation had caused unnecessary difficulties in connection with commitments and policies of this Government in this hemisphere. I said I felt sure there was unanimity on the part of the British, Canadians, and ourselves as to the need for all proper measures to insure the safety of our ships and there would have been no question about all necessary protective measures having been adopted.
Mr. Hoyer Millar asked whether any reply had been received from the French on the proposed formula the Secretary and Mr. Mackenzie King had agreed upon. I said that I knew the Secretary had received the French Ambassador today but I did not know whether the Secretary had received from him any definite word as to the French attitude toward this proposal. I said I still hoped that some solution would be arrived at that would take care of the interests of all concerned. Mr. Hoyer Millar said that he hoped so also but that it was difficult for the United Kingdom Government to insist on the Free French getting out of the islands now that they are in.