740.0011 Pacific War/1457
Memorandum by Mr. William P. George of the Division of European Affairs
The matter of the attached memorandum76 (deposited by Mr. Barclay of the British Embassy at 2:30 p.m. today) was under discussion between the British and Portuguese Governments for some days prior to the 12th instant, on which date the Portuguese agreed. On the 15th the Dutch reported activity of Japanese submarines in the waters of Portuguese Timor and advised that the moment had come to put the agreement into operation. Thereupon it was agreed that the Governors of Portuguese and Dutch Timor would meet in Dili at 4 p.m. today (our time), and that two hours later a combined force of Australians and Dutch would enter Portuguese Timor.
The British Government would substitute the phrase “in virtue of their obligations to” for the phrase “in agreement with,” in the sixth line of paragraph two of the attached memorandum if the Portuguese Government so desires.
- Supra.↩