800.6363/1519b: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
1725. For your information we are quoting below the press release which was issued the afternoon of March 7:
“The Acting Secretary of State today made the following announcement, which is being issued simultaneously in Washington and London: ‘The Governments of the United States and the United Kingdom are undertaking preliminary and exploratory discussions on petroleum questions. These discussions will be, in the first instance, on an expert technical level, and will take place in Washington.’ The Acting Secretary of State stated that it is contemplated that these informal conversations with the British Government on problems of mutual interest relating to oil would lead at an early date to further conversations between the two Governments at a higher level. For this purpose the President has appointed a group under the Chairmanship of the Secretary of State consisting of Secretary Ickes as Vice Chairman, Under Secretary of War Patterson, Under Secretary of the Navy Forrestal, Charles Kayner, Petroleum Adviser of the Department of State, and Charles E. Wilson, Vice Chairman of the War Production Board.
In making the above announcement, the Acting Secretary of State stated that should these conversations lead to conclusions, no decision affecting producing areas would be taken without consultation with the governments of the countries concerned. He also pointed out that this Government is at all times ready to discuss economic problems with other governments and accordingly will welcome discussions with the government of any other friendly country concerning petroleum questions of mutual interest.”