561.35E1A/7–444
The Commercial Counsellor of the British Embassy ( Jopson ) to the Chief of the Commodities Division ( Haley )
Dear Mr. Haley: You will remember that when you came to see me on June 17th you requested that I should ascertain the views of the British Government on the manner in which the renewal of the Sugar Agreement should be achieved. You suggested that there might be two alternatives (a) the signature of a new Protocol and (b) an exchange of notes between all the signatories and the British Government.
I have now received a telegram from the Foreign Office expressing the opinion that the signature of a new Protocol would seem to be the neater and simpler method of prolonging the Agreement. On their instructions I am enclosing a draft of such a Protocol embodying their ideas on the subject. The Foreign Office say, however, that if the State Department consider that an exchange of notes between all the signatories and the British Government would be easier from their point of view, the British Government would have no strong objections. In that case the attached draft Protocol could, with purely verbal changes, be put into the form of a note from the British Government. The only essential consideration is that, whatever form the instrument of renewal takes, the two reservations mentioned in [Page 996] my letter to you dated June 7th12 must be included and have the same status as the renewal. Provided this is assured, it would seem to be for the State Department to express their considered preference between the two methods. The Foreign Office would, however, like to agree with the State Department the wording of whatever instrument of renewal is decided upon, before it is presented to the Council.
As to the procedure, it is suggested that if the Protocol method is adopted the United Kingdom delegate to the International Sugar Council should submit the draft Protocol to the Council and ask them to pass a resolution on the strength of which each delegate would ask his Government to sign the Protocol. A similar procedure would be adopted in the case of an exchange of notes. In this event the United Kingdom delegate would present to the International Sugar Council a draft note. This note (which would be substantially the same as the Protocol) would express the willingness of the British Government to renew the Agreement, subject to the two reservations referred to and invite other Governments to do the same. The Council would then pass a resolution approving the terms of the note. The British Government would thereupon send the note to the various member countries, and each delegate to the International Council would recommend his Government to address to the British Government a note formally accepting the terms of renewal as constituting a binding agreement between that Government and all the other Governments from whom similar acceptances are received. For this purpose an identical form of reply might be agreed by the Council.
I should be glad if you would be so good as to indicate the State Department’s preference on the alternative methods of renewal outlined above and if you would also furnish me with your comments on the enclosed draft.
The Foreign Office request me to remind you that it will be necessary to set the procedure in motion very quickly if renewal of the Agreement is to be effected before the end of August. I should be grateful therefore if you could let me have your reply without delay.
Yours sincerely,