Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, Europe, Volume II

641.5531/18: Telegram

The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Matthews) to the Secretary of State

London, April 30, 1942—11 p.m.
[Received April 30—8:45 p.m.]

2308. Embassy’s 1362, and 1396 of March 21 and 24 respectively. Department’s 1095 [1094], March 16 and No. 2 Belgian Series to Biddle, April 28.

1. Meeting at which were present representatives Ministries of Production, Supply, Harriman and Embassy held last night to discuss method of joint Anglo-American approach to Belgian colonial authorities with respect to purchases from and supplies to Belgian Congo.

It is expected that Mr. Lyttelton⁵ and Ambassador Biddle will together approach Belgian Colonial Minister early next week along the lines of Department’s telegram no. 2, April 28.

2. Suggestion was also advanced at meeting that any new Anglo-American-Belgian Congo supply arrangements might be drawn up in form of tripartite agreement rather than separate United States-Belgian and United Kingdom-Belgian agreements.

3. The second Anglo-Belgian purchasing agreement runs from September 1, 1941 to August 31, 1942. For reasons explained in my 1362 of March 21 this agreement (a summary of which was given in Embassy’s telegram No. 2289 of April 30⁶) has not yet been signed. In view of current developments Foreign Office official at yesterday’s meeting described it as a “hangover arrangement” which Foreign Office nevertheless felt must be concluded because of Anglo-Belgian financial agreement of January 21, 1941⁷ (Embassy’s despatch No. 116, March 19, 1941).⁶ Foreign Office seem to feel that after the joint United Kingdom–United States of America meeting with Belgians next week latter will be prepared to sign second purchasing agreement without further delay.

4. As a matter of convenience and to avoid possible confusion from overlapping of any new arrangements with this agreement, the tentative proposal has been made that any tripartite agreement should only become operative as from September 1, 1942.

5. Any comments Department might see fit to make concerning paragraphs 2 and 4 above would be helpful.

Matthews

5. Sir Oliver Lyttelton, British Minister of Production.
6. Not printed.
7. For text, see British Cmd. 6248, Treaty Series No. 1 (1941): Agreements … relating to the Belgian Congo in respect of Finance and the Purchase of Commodities, pp. 2–5.
6. Not printed.