800.85/8–544: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 5—7:50 a.m.]
6267. For Berle and Land, WSA. Due to the illness of the French Minister of Communications in Algiers, the French delegation did not receive instructions enabling them to sign the Agreement on Principles at the final meeting of the Shipping Conference this morning. Informal advices indicate that it is not at all impossible that French will sign at the last minute.
Delegates of all the other nations attending the Conference signed the Agreement and it was agreed that it would be left open for signature by the French until Tuesday afternoon at 6 p.m. August 8.
Because of the above situation the release of the draft press statement has been postponed and it will now be issued for publication in Wednesday morning papers, August 9. Will wire later form of statement if French do not sign. Brazilian Embassy will be notified here on Tuesday in the same manner as was the Soviet Embassy.