611.5131/3–3145: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 1—6:58 p.m.]
1601. ReDeptel 709 February 21. In conversation with officials of Embassy on March 30 Marjolin73 expressed interest in initiating at an early date article VII discussions concerning post war commercial policy.
He stated that the French Embassy in Washington had reported that the Department was in agreement with this plan. He also stated that in his opinion these preliminary conversations should be held before the general international trade conference which according to his information was planned for later on this year. He said that he would communicate with the Embassy next week with reference to discussions for the purpose of agreeing upon a tentative agenda or list of subjects which might be included in the article VII discussions. When agreement had been reached on this tentative agenda he said that he would set up committees to explore the subjects from the point of view of the French Government.
Unless the Department perceives objection the Embassy proposes to discuss with Marjolin and other French officials a tentative list of [Page 761] subjects based on the British American agreed statement of October 16, 194374 and on the memorandum entitled “post war international trade relations.” At the same time Marjolin will be told that the discussions with respect to agenda are of course subject to instructions from the Department with respect either to the inclusion or deletion of items.
We do not feel that Marjolin has in mind the drawing up of a rigid and formal agenda but rather arriving at a mutual list of subjects on the basis of which he can begin work.
Marjolin also stated that it would be most helpful if we could make available to him copies of studies or memoranda on various commercial policy problems. He mentioned specifically studies concerning the operation of commodity agreements. The Embassy would be glad to receive copies of any such studies for transmission to Marjolin which the Department feels are appropriate for this purpose.
Sent Department 1601; repeated London for Hawkins 198.
- Robert Marjolin, Office of Foreign Economic Relations of the French Ministry of National Economy.↩
- Statement resulting from conversations between representatives of the United States and the United Kingdom under article VII of the Lend-Lease Agreement with a view to reaching a tentative agreement on a post-war commercial policy; for related documentation, see Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. i, pp. 1054 ff.↩