800.24/7–2244
The British Chargé (Campbell) to the Secretary of State
Sir: In considering Your Excellency’s note of June 20th, His Majesty’s Government have assumed that it applies only to the assignment of those resources which fall within the scope of the Munitions Assignments Board.
His Majesty’s Government entirely concur in the policy of the United States Government as set out in paragraph 4 of Your Excellency’s note in regard to the assignment of munitions by the Washington and London Munitions Assignments Board and their transfer to third countries. Apart from those items which have been in full supply or in which the United States have expressed no interest, the United Kingdom representatives on the Board have, in fact, followed this policy in almost every case during the past two years and they do not consider themselves free, as suggested in the third paragraph of Your Excellency’s note, to dispose of weapons of United Kingdom origin without obtaining the concurrence of their United States colleagues on the Board. In relatively few cases in which an assignment of United Kingdom munitions to a third country has been made without consultation with United States members of the London Board, this has been due to faulty procedure rather than to an intentional departure from the agreed policy.
At the same time, His Majesty’s Government are concerned that in a number of instances the transfer to a third country of munitions of United Kingdom origin has been opposed by United States authorities purely on the ground that similar material has been, or is being, received by the United Kingdom on lend lease from the United States. His Majesty’s Government cannot reconcile this attitude with the principle laid down by the President and the Prime Minister, quoted in your note, that the entire munitions resources of Great Britain and the United States will be deemed to be in a common pool regardless of origin. In the view of His Majesty’s Government, each case should be considered jointly by United Kingdom and United States members of the Washington or London Board as appropriate, whose recommendations should be framed solely in accordance with strategic needs.
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