Cablegram 87A LONDON, 4 August 1945, 8.10 p.m.
TOP SECRET
Received 5 August 1945
Your telegram 163 27th July. [1]
Have had long talks with Bevin and Addison [2] with regard to the points raised in your telegrams 205 27th July and 209 1st August [3] to the Dominions Office. These talks were a refreshing experience and I am convinced that under the new Government the feeling of frustration that one had with regard to consultation under the old regime will be removed. In the discussions we covered the whole field of Empire consultation and my somewhat emphatically put points were sympathetically received.
With regard to the specific question of our direct association with the Council of Foreign Ministers Bevin outlined the practical difficulties, particularly emphasising that our inclusion would open the door for a U.S.S.R. claim that Poland should be added and one has to admit that there was something in his argument.
Official reply to telegrams 205 and 209 is being despatched today.
You will be interested to learn that Bevin by his toughness and forthrightness created a considerable impression at Potsdam.
BRUCE
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1 Document 142.
2 Addison succeeded Cranborne as Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs on 3 August.
3 Documents 141 and 149.
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[AA : A1066, H45/1016/5]