Office of the Historian

800.014 Antarctic/12–248: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State

secret
London, December 2, 1948—7 p. m.

5078. Embassy officer today orally conveyed to Shuckburgh Foreign Office substance Deptel 431 December 1 to Santiago repeated London 4488 Buenos Aires 1016,1 and Deptel 4489 December 1 to London2 regarding Antarctic claims dispute. Shuckburgh said Foreign Office would naturally welcome parallel US declaration such as Department suggested but he assumed Department would not wish make statement until and unless assured that Foreign Office would make similar one. Foreign Office cannot yet give such assurance since its making declaration is contingent upon assurances from Argentine and Chilean Governments that they prepared do same. He said Argentine Government has not yet informed Foreign Office of its approval of Foreign Office’s suggested text but no reason suppose Argentina has changed attitude which was agreement in principle.

Shuckburgh stated Chileans have not told Foreign Office they have abandoned idea regarding no new bases. Until Chile drops this idea UK and Argentine unable make declarations he said.

He remarked Bevin’s idea as expressed in talk with Bramuglia has already largely accomplished its beneficial purpose and that it not of great importance whether formal exchanges of statements take place. He promised keep Embassy informed of developments with Department’s proposed statement in mind.

Asked whether Foreign Officer preferred Department’s statement to be public or confidential, Shuckburgh said Department may wish do same as Foreign Office which will be guided by Argentine and Chilean preference. This preference will not be determined until and unless Argentina, Chile and UK reach agreement on exchange of declarations.

Sent Department, repeated Buenos Aires 17, Santiago unnumbered.

Douglas
  1. Supra. ↩
  2. Not printed; it set forth the Department’s assumption that the British and Argentine Governments would welcome a possible United States statement indicated in telegram 431 of December 1 (supra), but instructed the Embassy in London to seek informal British reaction. Identical instructions were sent to the Embassy in Argentina (800.014 Antaretic/12–148).↩