800.6363/1482

The Acting Secretary of State to the British Ambassador (Halifax)

The Acting Secretary of State presents his compliments to His Excellency the British Ambassador and has the honor to refer further to the Ambassador’s note of February 7, 1944, in regard to the forthcoming [Page 96] informal exploratory discussions on petroleum, and to the Department’s note of February 10, 1944, in reply. Reference is also made to the telephone conversation of February 15 between the Acting Secretary of State and the British Ambassador concerning this subject.

In confirmation of the above-mentioned conversation, it is desired to inform the Ambassador that, in view of the importance which the Government of the United States attaches to the forthcoming discussions, further consideration has been given to the composition of the group which will conduct the conversations for this Government. It has been decided that the Secretary of State will be the chairman of the group. The Secretary of the Interior will be vice-chairman of the group and the other members will be the Under Secretary of War, the Under Secretary of the Navy, the Petroleum Adviser of the Department of State and the Vice Chairman of the War Production Board.

It is strongly hoped that it will be agreeable to the British Government for the conversations to be initiated the latter part of this month at Washington. Early advice as to whether this is agreeable to the British Government will be appreciated.