855.24/4–945: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Belgium ( Sawyer )
270. On April 5 Department FEA and Treasury handed Gutt, Boel and De Gruben proposed lend-lease papers consisting of (1) 3–c Agreement with Schedules I and II attached (2) Memorandum explanatory of the Agreement and (3) Reciprocal Aid Agreement.30 These documents are similar to French Lend-Lease Agreements with following major exceptions: (a) Period of 3–c Agreement has been shortened and extends only from April 1 to December 31, 1945 with reductions in Schedule I to $217,500,000 and Schedule II to $105,000,000 (b) Price formula has been simplified and adjusted along lines now requested as modifications in French Agreement (c) Paragraph inserted authorizing Belgium to transfer Lend-Lease articles to Luxembourg.
Belgian representatives requested certain modifications among which following have been accepted: (a) Terms of 3–c Agreement are made applicable to supplies not transferred as of February 28 which corresponds to date in French Agreement (b) Addition of item in Schedule I to cover prisoner-of-war supplies (c) Civilian agencies will use best efforts to terminate Plan “A” under which supplies are to be paid for in cash at earliest practicable date bearing in mind, however, that this is largely a matter between the Belgians and SHAEF and termination date will depend in part on degree of implementation of civilian import program. Belgian representatives have referred proposals as modified to Belgian Government and expect reply early next week which if favorable will permit immediate execution of papers. Certain minor modifications are still under consideration. Belgians press strongly for expansion of schedules to bring them in line with French agreement. We have informed them unlikely agreement can be reached on this point and that in any event reconsideration will result in delay which might seriously jeopardize entire agreement.
[For texts of mutual aid agreements between the United States and Belgium including Agreement Relating to Supplies and Services, signed at Washington, April 17, 1945, with Memorandum of Interpretations signed at Washington, April 17, 1945, and Exchange of Notes signed at Washington, April 17 and 19 and May 19, 1945, and Agreement Relating to Principles Applying to the Provision of Aid to the Armed Forces of the United States effected by exchange of notes signed at Washington, April 17 and 19, 1945, see Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 481, or 59 Stat. (pt. 2) 1642.]
- None printed; for citation to the final agreement, see bracketed note, infra.↩