800.796/7–144
The First Secretary of the British Embassy (Gore-Booth) to the Assistant Secretary of State (Berle)
Ref. 56/–/44
Washington, July 14,
1944.
Dear Mr. Berle: In Mr. Wright’s absence I send you
herewith a message which we have received for you from Lord Beaverbrook
dated July 12th.
Yours sincerely,
[Enclosure]
Message From Lord Beaverbrook for the Assistant
Secretary of State (Berle), Dated July 12, 1944
A representative of the Netherlands Government has discussed Civil
Aviation with us recently. The meeting was on an official level. As you
will be talking to the Netherlands before long I give you a brief
account of our talk.
- 2.
- We gave to the Netherlands representative a copy of our
Commonwealth report which you and I discussed together. We told him
[Page 508]
that although you had
agreed it would form a suitable basis for discussion at the
international conference you did not agree with it in detail and
that you regarded it as open to flexible interpretation.
- 3.
- On this understanding we went through the Commonwealth Report and
explained its various features. We told the Netherlands
representative that, whereas we favoured an international authority
with executive powers you took the view that international
organisation should grow up more gradually and start on an advisory
basis.
- 4.
- The Netherlands Government have now presented us with a memorandum
of their own which we are examining. I gather they will present a
similar document to you when your talks with them begin.
