867N.01/11–2845
Memorandum by the Director of the Office of Near Eastern and African Affairs (Henderson) to the Secretary of State 56
Mr. Wright, First Secretary of the British Embassy, who is handling Palestine affairs for the Embassy, called me by telephone this afternoon. He said that it would be helpful to know whether, in view of the fact that the Committee of Inquiry was to be joint, the American Government would like for the announcement of the appointment of the Committee to be a joint statement issued simultaneously by the two Governments, or whether we would prefer that each Government issue a similar statement including in it the names of its members only.
In any event he said that the British Government hoped that the announcements could be made simultaneously, that they would be similar, if not identical, in character, and that the British Government would have ample time to make its announcement. It was hoped that the American Government would not, on the spur of the moment or with only a few hours notice, make an announcement on the subject. This matter was so important to the British Government that it was anxious that there should be no slip-up in the way in which it would be presented to the world. He also asked if I had any information as to when the American Government might be prepared to make an announcement.
I told him that I was not in a position to answer his questions, but that I would pass them on to you. I added that in the meantime his Government might desire to furnish us with a copy of an announcement of the type which it would like to have made.
- Marginal notation, presumably by the Secretary: “If Wright wishes go ahead can do so, will take us some time”.↩