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TO BE KEPT UNDER LOCK AND KEY.

It is requested that special care may be taken to ensure the secrecy of this document.

(THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT).

SECRE T.

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C.0.S.(41) 87.

11TH FEBRUARY, 1941.

This document was considered at Co. S. (41) 56

33

COPY NO.

20.5.

CD.S. C+

6qZ

Meeting.

87

WAR CABINET.

CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE.

UNITED STATES BASES.

COMMAND AND DEFENCE.

Memorandum by Adiniral Sir Sidney Bailey.

X

I attach a record of a Meeting held on the 10th February with certain members of the United States Delegation. A general survey was made of the command and defence problems in the leased

areas.

It was unfortunate that the United States delegates were unable to speak for the General Staff and could only represent the views of the State Department. The record, therefore, has not been included in the official records of the discussions. At the same time there was such close identity of views between the unofficial suggestions elaborated in Annex I and the views put forward by the Governor of Trinidad✦ in agreement with the Governors of Jamaica and the Leeward Islands, that a solution of the defence and command problem seems to be in sight.

3=

The suggested solutions of the problem is the appointment of a British and a United States Commander-in-Chief for the whole area who, with appropriate staffs, would form a joint commission to deal with defence matters on the spot.

4.

The question of safeguarding the position of our Governors presents some difficulty. It is quite clear that the United States Representatives are apprehensive of having any clause in the published agreement for the leases which could be construed by the opponents of Anglo-United States collaboration as amounting to a defensive-offensive alliance. They fully appreciate that the position of our Governors must be safeguarded but suggest that any such clause in a published document is likely to be read to mean that United States troops might be placed under British officers.

5.

They suggest that a published clause should be confined to a statement that the defence of the territories is in cur mutual interest and that the necessary safeguards for the Governors shoula be included in the terms of reference to the Joint Commission, This document would be agreed by the two Governments but it would not be published.

X Enclosure I.

Enclosure I. Annex III.

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