855.24/1–2545
The Assistant Secretary of State ( Clayton ) to the Belgian Ambassador ( Straten-Ponthoz )
My Dear Mr. Ambassador: I wish to advise you of the agreed views of the respective United States and United Kingdom authorities concerning the shipment of supplies to Belgium during the first six months of 1945.
The Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Forces,11 has signified his willingness to allocate to the Belgian Government certain port facilities and inland clearance for the Government import program separate from and additional to the military program.
I understand that a Four-Party Committee, consisting of representatives of the Belgian Government, the governments of the United States and United Kingdom and Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Forces, has reviewed and recommended an import program put forward by the Belgian Government. The United States and United Kingdom agencies concerned will, as necessary, facilitate through the established procedures, procurement against this program so that supplies will be readily available for shipment.
Subject to military necessity, the following ships have been allocated against the Belgian Government import program for January, February and March loading from North America as follows:
| January | February | March |
| 1 | 2 | 2 |
The Theater Commander, the Combined Boards and the departments and agencies concerned of the United States and the United Kingdom governments are being notified of the action above agreed to. I understand that the determination of port and inland clearance capacity will be certified to by the Theater Commander.
Sincerely yours,
- Dwight D. Eisenhower (SCAEF).↩