Office of the Historian

740.00112 E.W./1–1745: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)

Washington, January 23, 1945—4 p.m.

506. Department is inclined to view with favor suggestion of the Embassy at Paris (made in its 224 January 17 to Department14 being repeated to you) regarding French participation in forthcoming economic warfare negotiations with the Swiss. While France is not a party to the War Trade Agreement and so not technically involved in its renegotiation, we believe that her support would be advantageous to obtain the maximum concessions from the Swiss, her cooperation indispensable because of her geographic position and her participation politically desirable.

Please approach foreign office along these lines and cable British views.

Reurtel 498 January 1514 matter of French representative on mixed commission in Bern should, we feel, also be settled simultaneously with that of French participation in negotiations. Please take this up again with MEW.

Sent London repeated Paris as Department’s 258 and Bern as Department’s 377.

Grew
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