"l
4.1. Ballantyno
a vis
19~~
le
S
3 2.3.4)
With reference to Mr. Mayle's minute of 25/2,
he subsequently agreed that I might send the memorandum which is at 8 as it stands, to the Foreign Office. My revised covering letter is at 9.
I understand that Mr. Mayle's suggestion 4ás that a memorandum should be presented to the Chancellor jointly by Mr. Bevin and Mr. Creech Jones and for this reason he proposed a much shorter note of about half a page.
The Foreign Office in 11 say that they consider the draft at 8 entirely suitable subject to two minor verbal amendments, (which I have made on the draft). Their proposals is that it should be presented to the Treasury at the Permanent Under-Secretary level. In a telephone conversation with me Mr. Ballantyne said that the Foreign Orfice were not in favour of a Ministerial approach at this stage.
I mentioned this view to ur. Mayle who asked me to put up the file for a decision as to whether the approach should be at the Ministerial or at an Orlici al level.
There seemed to me two reasons in favour of an official approach at this stage:-
(a) Mr. Bevin is in Moscow and there must
inevitably be Iairly considerable delay before he would be free for a matter of this kind,
(b) it would be playing our last card first.
an official approach to the Treasury is unsuccessful we can then invoke the help of Ministers.
If
II this is agreed I will prepare for cons on a draft letter for Sir T. Lloyd's signature in consultation with the Foreign Ofrice.
10.3.47.
P.S. When a decision has been taken and the memorandum has gone to the Treasury the file should be recirculated re X of my minute of 11th December about making copies of the Committee's Report available to certain individuals. No action has yet been taken on 94 on the '46 file about this.
11A A.K. Ballantyne (F.0).
fleck
10-3-
Su Thloud.
१
Infree
that the approach t
The Treasury sh' he official on the fist place, but you in see the
memo.
which it is proposect sh
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.