560.AL/4–1046
Memorandum of Transatlantic Telephone Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Commercial Policy (Brown)
| Participants: | Mr. Harry C. Hawkins, Counselor for Economic Affairs, American Embassy, London |
| Mr. Brown, CP |
I explained to Mr. Hawkins that the last sentence of our telegram no. 3060, dated April 9, to the effect that the decision was likely to be for postponement of the trade-agreement negotiations, was purely for his information. He said that he had to tell the British this in any event. I explained that the motive behind any postponement would be the desire, at the highest level in the Department, to put us in the position to make the best offers we could when the time came. [Page 1310] Mr. Hawkins said that point of view would be helpful to him. He also said he understood that the way was still open to a preliminary conference on the Proposals.
Mr. Hawkins said the British were pretty upset at the news and that he was working out alternative time-tables with them which he would cable promptly. He would like an early decision on whether a preliminary meeting on the Proposals should be held and when.