Office of the Historian

493.419/7–1450: Telegram

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

secret   priority
London, July 14, 1950—noon.

293. Excon. Foreign Office advises that export controls identical those being applied EE countries being placed in effect from today re Communist China for UK exports. Firm position re Hong Kong, Singapore controls promised 5:30 p. m. today. Will cable upon receipt.1

Tomlinson statement reported Embtel 5, July 1, had not been adequately cleared both within Foreign Office and with other government agencies. Fundamental difficulty arose from Foreign Office failure centralize responsibility export control matters which has been source of difficulty throughout discussion re extension controls Far Eastern areas.

Sent Department 293, repeated info priority Paris 79, priority The Hague 13, priority Brussels 12.

Douglas
  1. Telegram 319, July 14, 7 p. m., from London (not printed), stated that the British Foreign Office was unable to provide full details ion its decision until Monday (July 17), but the Foreign Office had indicated that there was “no cause for worry” about application of List I controls by Hong Kong and Singapore (493.419/7–1450).↩