800.6363/2–1844
The British Embassy to the Department of State
No. 95
His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom were about to reply to the State Department’s note of February 11th [10th] setting forth the views of the United States Government regarding the scope of proposed discussions on oil when they were informed by His Majesty’s Ambassador on February 16th that the United States Government proposed to announce forthwith their intention to convene a conference at Ministerial level in the near future.
- 2.
- It had previously been understood that exploratory conversations at official and technical level were contemplated, and this impression was confirmed by the State Department’s note under reply. It was on this understanding that His Majesty’s Government agreed to issue joint statement communicated to the State Department on January 25th.95 In the view of His Majesty’s Government a conference of Ministers should not take place until the ground has been cleared with preliminary discussions which have hitherto been contemplated.
- 3.
- Provided preliminary conversations are at official and technical level and are of an exploratory nature His Majesty’s Government will be glad to meet the wishes of the United States Government by concentrating in the opening stages of the discussions on the Middle East subject to the understanding that conversations will be world-wide in their general scope and will not be specifically confined to any particular oil-bearing region.
- 4.
- As regards the topics indicated in the State Department’s note of February 11th [10th], His Majesty’s Government are preparing their comments.
[
Washington
,] February 18, 1944.
- Not found in Department files.↩