103.9164: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 24—10:24 p.m.]
6889. To Morse, WSA, from Reed by Brown. Referring telephone conversation with Brown yesterday, Weston confirms agreement that Anglo-United States consultation on items 1 (a) and (b) in our 6782 of August 21st [22nd] should take place in Washington and that British representatives would be sent to Washington for this purpose if necessary. Wackrill will be coming to Washington early in September and will be authorized to discuss 1 (b). Weston hopes however that we are thinking along sufficiently similar lines so that discussions with Maclay could develop agreement on Anglo-American view on 1 (a) without necessity of sending special representatives from here. Maclay is being authorized today to hold these discussions with you on (a) [;] paper cabled you in our 6734 of August 19th65 might be basis for discussion.
Weston did not understand nor did we that it was intended to have the Planning Committee itself meet in Washington to discuss these points. The Annex to the Agreement as signed states that the Planning Committee will begin work in London. The Allies have nominated their representatives in London to serve on the Planning Committee and it was not suggested to them by either of us that the Planning Committee might meet in Washington nor that there would be a Washingon section of the Planning Committee. The Norwegians have of their own initiative already brought some of their Washington personnel to London to work with the Planning Committee. Some of the Allies would probably not wish to delegate the main authority to negotiate to their representatives in Washington who are unfamiliar with the background of discussions at Conference. However, Allied personnel who are discussing the allocation machinery will probably in many cases also be dealing with other problems on the agenda. To bring the whole sub-committee on allocation machinery to Washington would necessarily involve delay and transportation difficulties.
[Page 685]We understand the reasons why it would be desirable to have some of the Planning Committee meetings in Washington but in view of the practical considerations outlined above and the great speed at which events are moving on the continent we urge that Anglo-American agreement be reached in Washington on these points and that such agreement be first presented to the Allies here by our permanent representative on the Planning Committee.
We have suggested that first meeting of the Executive Board should be held in Washington at which report of the Planning Committee could be received and acted upon. This would be more practical to arrange than to divide the work of the Planning Committee itself. Weston thinks Ministry would probably be agreeable. Would this meet your point? Informal meeting with Allies is set for tomorrow. [Reed.]
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