840.50/10–1644
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Director of the Office of Wartime Economic Affairs (Taft)
Subject: Meeting at 3:15, October 14, 1944, with Messrs. Opie22 (British Embassy), Acheson, Hiss,23 Collado.24
Opie under instructions expressed the displeasure of the Secretary of State24a with the transmission to the Russians of the copy of our reply to the notes of Sir Ronald Campbell on the European Economic Committee. He said it was considered discourteous but also confusing, and therefore did not feel it had advanced the situation. Mr. Acheson said he regretted that the Foreign Office should have occasion for any disturbance. Mr. Opie said he had tried to soften their reaction by quoting to them what Mr. Taft had said as to insistence upon this course by our political experts.
Mr. Opie then said that instructions had been sent by the Foreign Office to Moscow to present to the Russians a précis of the British documents, and to urge that if they approved of the suggestions they should send instructions to their Embassy in London to begin discussions. Mr. Opie asked that we take parallel action. Mr. Taft stated that Mr. Harriman had been asked to indicate to the Russians that we expected discussion to take place in London. Mr. Opie felt this met his request.
Mr. Opie then asked that we join the British in now urging Moscow to reply as soon as possible, and on the basis of that contact to let us know their estimate of how soon a reply could be expected. He suggested that we might indicate to our ambassadors, not for communication, that if a long time is estimated, we would consider proposed joint discussions in London with a Russian observer.
Mr. Taft asked if discussions had not already taken place with the European countries. Mr. Opie said Ronald25 had talked to a group, but on an informal basis. No formal approach had been made.
Later Opie called Mr. Taft to say that on re-reading the telegram, what was desired was our instructions to London, not Moscow. Mr. Taft read from telegram to Winant: “You may want to communicate to the Foreign Office and to the Embassy in Russia that you are anxious to begin the conversations at an early date.” Opie thought that was probably compliance with his request as revised. He thought [Page 627] therefore that no telegram to Moscow was needed at the moment at all, but that we might advise Winant that we and the Foreign Office were considering, if the Russian reply was likely to be delayed, US–UK discussions in London with a Russian observer. Mr. Taft agreed to go ahead on this basis.
- Redvers Opie, Counselor of the British Embassy in the United States.↩
- Donald Hiss, Deputy Director, Office of Economic Affairs.↩
- Emilio G. Collado, Chief, Division of Financial and Monetary Affairs.↩
- i.e., the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Eden).↩
- Nigel Bruce Ronald, British Assistant Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.↩