800.796/450
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of
State (Berle)
[Washington,] September 28, 1943.
Mr. Pearson1 came in to see me, at his request.
He said that the British Government had invited the British Dominions to go
to London sometime next week,1a there to
discuss the policy of international air transport. The Canadian Government
had not been particularly interested in any such conference but had finally
determined that they would send representatives to the conference. Their
instructions, however, were merely to explore the subject and to make no
commitments. The Canadian Government was pretty clear that it did not wish
to join an Imperial transport agreement at this time. Mr. Pearson’s object
in informing us was to make sure that we should not misunderstand the
situation, and believe that the British Commonwealth of Nations were
“ganging up” on the United States. On a personal basis, he handed me his
memorandum, a copy of which is attached.
I thanked him for the information and said I was very clear that we would not
misunderstand the situation.
[Annex]
Memorandum by the Canadian Minister Counselor
(Pearson)
- 1.
- On September 17th the United Kingdom Government issued invitations
to the other governments of the British Commonwealth to attend an
informal and exploratory meeting in London on the subject of
international air transport policy. The United Kingdom Government
hopes that this meeting may be held early in October, and it is
likely that a statement will be made shortly in the United Kingdom
Parliament regarding it. Canada has accepted.
- 2.
- Before the United Kingdom Government issued this invitation, the
proposed Commonwealth conference was discussed between the United
Kingdom Government and the Canadian Government. Both Governments
agreed that it was desirable to discuss the matter with the United
States Government in order to avoid any misunderstanding of the
purpose and scope of the Commonwealth conference. Accordingly, Mr.
Churchill, when he was in Washington, discussed the matter with the
President,2 who said that
he saw no objection to such an exploratory Commonwealth conference
being held.
- 3.
- Mr. Churchill also discussed with the President the possibility of
some kind of international conference on air policy being held after
the Commonwealth conference. The President said that a decision
regarding an international conference should wait until the matter
has been discussed at the forthcoming Anglo-Soviet-United States
meeting.3
- 4.
- The Commonwealth meeting in London will be of a preliminary and
exploratory nature. It is not expected that the Canadian
representatives will at this meeting support or reject any specific
proposal on the organization of international air transport after
the war.
- 5.
- Mr. Churchill has informed the Canadian Government that he
understands preliminary United States views on post-war
international air transport to be as follows:
- “(1) There should be private ownership.
- (2) Key points should be available for international
use on reciprocal basis.
- (3) International traffic should be reserved to
international companies.
- (4) Government support may be required on an
international basis for certain non-paying
routes.”
