800.85/9–2344: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 23—2:55 p.m.]
7912. For Berle and Land, WSA. ReDepts 7726, September 21, midnight. The Foreign Office states that Department’s assumption is correct that the notification to UNRRA of the Shipping Agreement will be coincident with placing the Agreement before Parliament. It is now stated that the Agreement will not be placed before Parliament [Page 702] before September 27 but the Foreign Office is unable to give an exact date prior to Monday September 25. The Foreign Office now suggests that the United States delegation to the UNRRA Conference at Montreal make the notification on behalf of both our Governments in a manner similar to that contemplated for EITO Agreement.88
The Embassy’s immediately following telegram gives the text of the proposed press release which is to be placed before the Planning Committee, set up under the Shipping Agreement, on Monday afternoon. While it is possible that representatives of some of the other governments may wish to make minor changes in this release it is believed that there will be no substantial changes in the release as forwarded. The British do not insist upon identic press releases as long as the two releases are in general agreement. Any observations the Department may wish to make would be most helpful if received here by Monday noon.