793.003/939: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
Washington, October 13,
1942—6 p.m.
5020. Your 5658, October 10, 8 p.m.
- 1.
- We appreciate the British Government’s desire to give full and careful consideration to various aspects of this important matter. As you know, we told the Chinese Ambassador on October 9, in reply to his inquiry, that we would expect to present a draft text to the Chinese Government within a week. We made this statement, which is not necessarily categorical, in consideration of the Ambassador’s obvious desire for early action and of the fact that our preliminary draft had been formulated after careful study, and had received the British Government’s agreement in principle. As public expectation in this country, in Great Britain, in China, and elsewhere has been aroused, and for other reasons, we feel that it is urgently desirable to proceed rapidly.
- 2.
- We doubt the desirability of attempting to have included in the brief treaty or in accompanying exchanges of notes matters of detail or provisions which would be restrictive in character.
- 3.
- We hope that the British Government will be in position to furnish its further comments on our suggested draft within the shortest feasible time.
Welles