800.85/8–244: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 2—4 p.m.]
6154. For Berle and Land, WSA, from Shipping Delegation. The second meeting of the full conference of Inter-Allied Shipping Ministers was held this morning and the agreement and annex were approved. It also considered the question of the membership of the Executive Board of the United Maritime Council. The Belgian delegate proposed that the permanent members of the Board should be the Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom and the United States. This was agreed to by all delegates except the representative of the French Committee who stated that while the agreement was satisfactory and had his approval his instructions prevented him from signing it unless France was at this time given a permanent seat on the Board. The remaining delegates felt that in the interest of efficiency the membership of the Board should be limited to four at the present time and it was pointed out to the French delegate that paragraph 7 of the annex makes it possible for the matter of French membership on the Executive Board to be raised at a later date and that in the meantime her interests should be thoroughly protected by her associate member in accordance with paragraphs 8 and 10 of the annex. Paragraph 8 was further strengthened and clarified at this morning’s meeting at the suggestion of the Canadian delegate by the insertion of the words “and shall be entitled to attend meetings of” after the words “shall be consulted by” and before “Executive Board”.
After considerable discussion it was agreed among the delegates that the French representative should be given a limited time in which to confer with his superiors. The meeting of the full conference was therefore adjourned until Saturday39 morning at 10:30 at the Foreign Office by which time it is hoped the French delegate will be in a position to sign but failing which the remaining delegates will sign without French participation. M. Anduze-Faris, the chief French [Page 675] representative, is being flown to Algiers by the British this afternoon where he will endeavor to have his instructions changed so as to permit him to sign without reservation.
ReEmbs 6086, July 31, 7 p.m. The draft press release was approved with two changes. The following sentence was added to paragraph 2: “Denmark was represented by an observer.” This was Count Reventlow. A new paragraph 4 was added as follows: “The arrangements shall not extend beyond the general suspension of hostilities in Europe or the Far East, whichever may [be] the later.”40
This paragraph was added at the instance of the Netherlands’ delegate in order to make clear that this is not a postwar measure.
Arrangements as to the actual time of issuing the press statement will be made at the Saturday morning meeting. The Foreign Office has indicated its belief that it should not be issued until after the bank holiday which is next Monday and then simultaneously in the capitals concerned.
The question of notifying other interested Allies not present has arisen and it was suggested that it would be desirable to notify Brazil as well as USSR of the terms of the agreement prior to any press announcement. The Department’s opinion and suggestions on this point are invited.