493.409/7–1250: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom

secret   priority

187. Excon. Re Paris 152 July 10 to Dept rptd you as 44, Dept astonished at statement of UK Repr CoCom that UK cannot agree to [Page 647] China controls which are said to be still under consideration London. In view urtel 5 July 1 Dept had assumed China controls were in effect in UK already and instrs were being issued Hong Kong and Singapore, and was greatly disturbed to learn (Hong Kong’s 54 to Dept rptd London 31 and urtel 1592) that Hong Kong had not been instructed apply controls. Dept took this up with Brit Emb here July 11. It now appears that UK has not even applied controls in UK.

Dept requests you immed clarify meaning and intent Tomlinson statements reported urtel 5 and point out inconsistency with statements UK Repr in CoCom. If situation is as indicated by Paris 152 Dept inclined make Repr Brit Emb here in strongest terms and at highest level and you are authorized to do same. You may say that US Govt must know at once where UK stands.

Acheson
  1. Not printed. It informed the Department of State that the Hong Kong Government in the absence of instructions from the United Kingdom to impose export controls was licensing petroleum products freely for China but deferring shipments to Manchuria and prohibiting them to Korea. (946G.53/7–750)
  2. Dated July 8, p. 643.