840.50/2410
The Department of State to the British Embassy
Aide-Mémoire
Careful consideration has been given to the Aide-Mémoire which Viscount Halifax left with Secretary Hull on August 4, 1943 in regard to the proposal of His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom to send to Washington not later than the first half of September a delegation of senior officials to initiate with officials of the United States Government informal and exploratory talks envisaged by Article VII of the Lend-Lease Agreement of February 23, 1942.
It is noted that the British Government suggests that the first object of such preliminary conversations should be to obtain broad agreement between the two Governments on an orderly agenda for the discussion of Article VII. The American Government is in accord with this suggestion, and it likewise shares the view of the British Government concerning the great importance of the attainment of prior agreement on such matters between the American and the United Kingdom Governments before they are discussed in a wide international field.
It is the view of the American Government that it would be preferable that the conversations on monetary policy continue in the existing channel; that is, in the United States Treasury Department between representatives primarily of the two treasuries. It is also felt that the Treasury representatives should deal with the subject of international investments.
The American Government is making the necessary arrangements for conversations on commercial policy, the regulation of primary products and related topics to take place in the Department of State and will await with pleasure the arrival of the British representatives.