Cablegram D520 LONDON, 21 May 1946, 2.10 p.m.
SECRET
My telegrams D. Nos 499 and 500 [1], Commercial Policy.
We have now heard from United States Embassy in London in reply the views set out in my telegram D. No.500. The United States Government agree with us on all points and have accepted our view that the question of a drafting sub-committee should not be pursued at this stage. As to date they do not wish the preparatory committee to meet later than October 15th, but fear that October 1st might clash with the projected meeting of the Economic and Social Council. They are also agreeable to our suggestion that the meeting should be in Europe but prefer London to Geneva.
2. They will now proceed to move the United Nations Secretariat to make a formal suggestion to Governments which are members of the Preparatory Committee. They asked that in their discussions with the Secretariat a representative of our Embassy in Washington should be associated with them and we have agreed to this. [2]
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1 Both dispatched 17 May. Cablegram D499 reported a reply to the U.S. Govt as proposed in Document 239 (the full text being given in D500) and stated that the date of preliminary British Commonwealth talks was to be discussed at the final Prime Ministers’ meeting.
2 It was confirmed formally by the U.N. Secretary-General early in June that the international conference would be held in 1947, and that the Preparatory Committee would meet in London on 15 October.
On 2 April Cabinet had appointed Coombs to lead the Australian delegation.
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[AA:A1067, ER46/1/2]