882.20/577: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Liberia (Hibbard)
149. Your 179, June 8, noon. In view of the rights which this Government has acquired in Liberia, it is a matter solely for the United States to determine whether the British or any other of the United Nations should participate in the military use of defense areas in Liberia. Under the conditions governing our agreement with Liberia,58 it is not necessary for the Liberian Government to be approached on such questions, which are handled directly by the War Department in Washington.
In the present instance, the War Department has found it desirable to accede for the time being to the request of the British for the establishment of the radio facilities mentioned, as an urgent measure to assist in the protection of shipping near Liberian waters. You may inform the Liberian Government, as well as the British Chargé d’Affaires, to the above effect, making clear to the latter that there is no need for him to approach the Liberian Government in future in matters of this kind.
- Signed March 31, 1942; for text, see Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 275, or 56 Stat. (pt. 2) 1621.↩