800.85/9–2344: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 23—3:34 p.m.]
7913. To Berle and Land, WSA. Following is the text of the press release regarding the United Nations Shipping Agreement:
“The Agreement on Principles having reference to the continuance of coordinated control of merchant shipping which has now been published will bring about an adjustment in the present arrangements for the control of the employment of United Nations shipping. It can best be understood in relation to those arrangements. At present all British and United States ships (except certain coasters) are under requisition to their respective governments. The great majority of ships under the flags of other United Nations are also on requisition to their Governments and have been chartered for the duration of the war in Europe to the Ministry of War Transport or the United States War Shipping Administration or have been or otherwise made available for employment by one or other of those bodies. In this way two pools of shipping are constituted the employment of which is coordinated through the Combined Shipping Adjustment Boards (CMD 633288a), with arrangements for consultation between the British and United States and the other United Nations Governments.
[Page 703]At or soon after the general suspension of hostilities in Europe the existing agreements for the use by the Ministry of War Transport and the War Shipping Administration of United Nations ships under other flags will terminate: but the requirements for ships will remain heavy for military purposes as well as for the supply of liberated areas, and all other purposes of the United Nations. In the agreement, the governments which have cooperated in the provision of ships for United Nations purposes have agreed to continue to devote their shipping resources to these needs till the war in the Far East is won.
Machinery is provided for the effective collaboration by governments in the use of available shipping by the establishment of an United Maritime Council and United Maritime Executive Board. Through these bodies which will come into operation on the general suspension of hostilities in Europe, the contracting governments will implement the principles laid down in the agreement. The principles will remain in effect till six months after the suspension of hostilities in Europe or the Far East (whichever is the later) unless terminated or modified earlier by unanimous agreement.
The agreement has been signed by the Governments of Belgium, Canada, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, United Kingdom and United States of America while the French Committee of National Liberation have signified that all French shipping is and remains at the disposal of the United Nations. The Soviet Government and other interested United Nations Governments have been kept informed. The agreement springs from the close collaboration achieved in the past and now existing between the governments which have mainly contributed to the provision of shipping to meet the needs of all the United Nations and it continues that collaboration for the general benefit into the succeeding phases. The cooperation of all United Nations not presently signatory and other friendly governments will be welcomed and it is contemplated that certain of them will accede to the agreement and participate in the central authority.”
- Reference is to the number of the British White Paper regarding the Combined Shipping Adjustment Board.↩