TkjI^Uf aL^U.  <^pf .
retary of State presents his compliments
to His Excellency the British Ambassador and has the
'A 3 honor to refer to an aide-me'moire dated June 8, 1940
which the Counselor of the British Embassy handed to
Mr. Hiclcerson on June 11 last concerning certain
islands in the Pacific Ocean.
The Secretary of State is pleased to note that the
British Government is willing In principle to enter
into discussions regarding the status of the islands
^lj/0^j3f specified in the Department's note of August 16, 1939
which are claimed by the United States and to which,
it is understood, Great Britain also asserts claims.
Mr. Hull desires also to express his concurrence in
the view expressed by the British Government that the
problem at issue can best be solved by way of direct
oral discussions.
With
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With respect to the suggestion that the United
States Government inform the British Government in
advance of the reasons why it believes certain of the
islands in question should be included in these dis-
cussions, the Secretary of State nerceives no reasons
why the United States Government should set forth the
details of its claims at this point.   He believes, on
the contrary, that the oral discussions suggested by
the British Government will provide ample opportunity
for the United States Government to put forward its
claims as well as to hear any counter claims on the
pe.rt of the British Government.    In a similar manner,
it is believed, the respective claims of the two
Governments to the remaining islands enumerated and
to islands in the Phoenix Group, as well as to any
other islands in the central Pacific to which either
Government asserts claim, may be considered in detail.
Although the United States Government is firmly
convinced that it would be to the mutual interest of
both the United States and the United Kingdom to reach
an
»
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an early settlement of their conflicting claims to
sovereignty over these islands, it readily understands
the reasons which have prompted the British Government
to suggest that the proposed oral discussions he tempo-
rarily postponed.    In view of these circumstances the
United States Government acquiesces in the oostpone-
ment of these discussions until the British Government
has had some time in which to orepare the necessary
documentation for its claims.
Department of State,
Washington August 10, 1940
911.0141 Phoenix Group/