884.796/13
The British Ambassador (Halifax) to the Secretary of State
His Majesty’s Ambassador presents his compliments to the Secretary of State, and has the honour to refer to Mr. Hull’s note of October 22nd on the subject of Article 11 (c) of the Agreement of January 31st, 1942 between the United Kingdom and Ethiopia.
Lord Halifax has been instructed to point out that negotiations leading to the signature of this Agreement were started and practically completed before the entry of the United States into the war. However, notwithstanding the terms of paragraph (c) of Article 11 of the Agreement, His Majesty’s Government have no intention, when dealing with the question of flights of United States aircraft across Ethiopia, of departing from the terms of the Embassy Aide-Mémoire of July 28th, 1942.44 Furthermore they are prepared now and at all times to facilitate as far as they can any United States air operations which are necessary for the successful prosecution of the war.