740.00112 E.W./1–2445: Telegram

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

562. Your 816 January 23 repeated to Bern as 29.14

(a)
We are prepared to send delegation as soon as transportation can be arranged. Delegation will be headed by Lauchlin Currie, Assistant to the President, and will include John V. Lovitt of the State [Page 775] Department and David Gordon of FEA and possibly one other. Delegation will stop in London to confer with you and the British, then it is hoped British negotiators will join the delegation to proceed to Bern via Paris. In Paris, delegation will confer with the French and join French representatives if so agreed.
(b)
American delegation will be given wide authority to conclude an agreement with the Swiss.
(c)
Delegation will have authority to release Swiss stocks held at Lisbon as well as authority to offer Swiss quotas for industrial raw materials including the release of commodities contained in the offer of September 18th. We would prefer, however, not to release the September list in advance of the arrival of the delegation. The delegation will discuss this with you and the British upon arrival in London.

We hope this meets British approval and that there are now no obstacles to British participation.

Through applications for visas, et cetera, Swiss here already know that representatives of this Government are planning to visit Bern. We therefore favor the suggestion made in Bern’s 486, January 23 to Department, repeated to you as 230,15 to the effect that Legation advise Swiss informally that we are sending delegation. Bern is hereby authorized to proceed to advise Swiss accordingly in concert with British colleague if MEW agrees. Please ascertain if MEW will send parallel instructions to Bern and notify our Legation in Bern if MEW concurs.

Sent to London repeated to Bern as 401.

Grew
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