800.85/9–3044: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
8189. SD 4067. To Winant and Reed from Berle and Land. ReEmbs 8192, September 30. State Department and WSA stress the importance of continuing joint U.S. and U.K. action and recommend that the representatives of the signatory governments who are now meeting in the Planning Committee should indicate that the U.S. and U.K. acting jointly may receive on behalf of all signatories the agreement of other United Nations or neutral governments wishing to participate in UNMA. U.K. and U.S. could upon receiving agreement of any such other governments advise the other contracting governments, such notification being given jointly by the U.S. and U.K. representatives on the United Maritime Executive Board to the other members and associate members of the board. We prefer that acceding governments send identical communications to H.M.G. and U.S. government.
We have no present intention of specifically suggesting to any particular nations that they accede to agreement. However we have no objections to British making such suggestions to countries named in your 8192 inasmuch as we believe that under paragraph 2 of annex to the agreement the way is open to all United Nations and neutrals to accede if they so desire and it would not in our opinion be inappropriate or out of order for any signatory nation to suggest to a particular country that it should accede to the agreement. [Berle and Land.]