CO537-3707 — Page 29

Mr. Paskin

I should put on record the fact that I had to withdraw this paper from Mr. Rees-Williams, to whom it had been sent by Sir T. Lloyd at the beginning of last week, as we received a request from Mr. Martin of the Ministry of Defence that the Chiefs of Staff should be given an opportunity of examining the draft telegram before its despatch. Mr. Martin said that he understood that this was the arrangement agreed to at the meeting, though neither yourself, Mr. Wallace

or myself, nor Mr. Scarlett of the Foreign Office, who was also present, had any

recollection of such an arrange- ment. In view, however, of the interest previously taken in this matter by the Chiefs of Staff and the Ministry of Defence (see Nos. 244, 246, 247, etc.), I felt that we had no alternative but to agree, and a copy of our draft telegram was sent to Mr. Martin on the 16th July at No. 265, which emphasised our anxiety to get the telegram off as quickly as possible. We have been in almost daily touch with Mr. Martin, pressing for a reply ever since, and he has, I am sure, been doing his utmost to expedite the matter, but on Saturday morning he told me that the Chiefs of Staff were not prepared to apu keuz concurrence by telephone and had decided to take the matter at a formal meeting on Friday next. I have explained the position to Mr. Scarlett, but you may think that, in the meantime, the Secretary of State should be aware of the reasons for the delay which has taken place in case he is tackled by

Mr. Bevin, who is, I know, most anxious to arrive at an early settlement.

26.7.1948.

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