Cablegram 1314 CANBERRA, 28 October 1943
SECRET
Reference your No. 1220. [1] Time is pressing. Instructions were given after most careful consideration that the matter must be pressed forward in Washington without any further delay. Your telegram seems to suggest that our attitude is necessarily linked up with a further United Kingdom-U.S.A. Agreement, but this is not so, and unless we are very careful we shall be put in the most invidious position of being left out in the cold after having assisted in bringing about existing United Kingdom-United States Agreement.
2. I am certain that Hull will strongly disapprove of any attempt to delay or defeat our objective which, as he explained to me in Washington, is an integral part of his policy. Please take most energetic steps to see that this matter is accorded highest priority and communication is sent to Hull by telegram for the necessary directions if there is any hitch.
3. With reference to penultimate paragraph of your telegram under reference [2], please see my telegram to London, repeated to you in my immediately following telegram. [3]
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1 Dispatched 22 October. On file AA:A989, 43/735/70/2. It reported that the U.K. Govt was disinclined to negotiate a new bilateral trade agreement with the United States and that only Cordell Hull (who was then attending the Moscow Conference) could authorise the resumption of negotiations on an agreement between the United States and Australia.
2 This suggested that the question of the U.K. Govt’s attitude to trade negotiations should be taken up directly in London.
3 See Document 318, note 1.
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[AA:A989, 43/735/70/2]