701.4511/10–1646: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Commissioner in India (Merrell)
us urgent
801. Following pertinent excerpts from Dept’s reply to Indian Agent General’s proposal to raise respective Missions to Embassies are for your confidential info only:
“The Govt of U.S. is very glad to agree to proposal of GOI, it being understood that Indian Amb to US and American Amb to India shall in no case enjoy less favorable treatment in matters of precedence than is accorded to reps of like rank from other countries.
As you doubtless aware, Ambs accredited to Govt of US are accorded precedence just after the President, the Vice President, and Ex-Presidents, and just before Chief Justice of Supreme Court and Secretary of State. It would be expected that American Amb to India would enjoy no less favorable treatment in this regard than that accorded to Indian Amb to US.
Upon receipt of concurrence of GOI to foregoing, it is suggested that Dept and Agent General arrange for simultaneous announcements to be made in Washington, New Delhi, and London.”
Following paragraph will appear in Dept’s press release at appropriate time:
“The Honorable George R. Merrell, at present American Commissioner to India with personal rank of Minister, will act as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of American Emb with personal rank of Minister pending designation and arrival in India of an American Amb.”40
- For text of the Department of State press release, October 23, on elevation of the missions at Washington and New Delhi to Embassy rank, see Department of State Bulletin, November 3, 1946, p. 827; see also ibid., November 24, 1946, p. 971; and December 1, 1946, p. 1001.↩