740.00119 EAC/1–545: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
244. The Department approves EAC instructions to the Allied Consultation Committee as set forth in the first three paragraphs of your 188, January 5, Comea 143.
With reference to the proposals of Strang and Massigli for communication of the text of the surrender terms to the United Nations chiefly interested, the Department fully approves the position you have taken in EAC and in general supports the viewpoint expressed by Gousev. We agree with you that we should not now promise to give the text at a prescribed time to any Government not represented in EAC, and that the risk of leakage in so doing is very great and not to be lightly incurred.
As regards Strang’s proposal to treat the United Nations under two categories, the following comment is offered. On the whole, we incline to the view that texts of agreements reached in EAC should not at this stage be given to any other Governments, or at the most only to those United Nations which have been the direct victims of German aggression. If the British Dominions were to be included in the first category, (those to receive the terms in advance with an opportunity for comment) this Government might have to reserve [Page 171] the right to accord the same advantage to China, Brazil, Mexico, and perhaps other Latin American states.
We have not been under any pressure here by Latin American or other Governments to reveal the texts of EAC recommendations. There is reason to believe, furthermore, that at least some of the British Dominions are already substantially informed respecting such recommendations.
In the light of the foregoing considerations, we are not inclined to go further in this matter than the action to be taken by the Allied Consultation Committee.