Minutes.    Witn G199/25/W.
PRHM: HK
Sir Ronald Campbell
This record of the conversations
on H.M.S.  "Prince of Wales" does not add
very much to our previous knowledge, and I
must confess seems to me rather a meagre
account of conversations which lasted for
three days.
The description of the discussions
leading up to the adoption of the final
draft of the 8 points is interesting,
although not, I think, surprising*   It is,
however, rather sinister that the President
should have opened the "ball by saying that
the talks would in no way involve any
future commitments.    The President was
eventually dissuaded from including some
statement to this effect in the public
announcement, but he has of course made up
for this by the various things which he has
said about "no new commitments'1 on his
return to this country.      It seems odd that
despite this clear indication of the way
in which the Presidents mind was working
the Prime Minister should have been quite
so enthusiastic about the outcome of the
meeting.
As regards the Par East, we know
that despite the Prime Minister's confidence
that the President would not tone down the
message to the Japanese Ambassador he did in
fact do so, and avoided any reference to
the possibility of war breaking out. This,
as v/e have told the P.O., he did largely
because of Mr. Hull's insistence.
As regards the Atlantic islands,
the P.O. told us just a few days ago that in
view of the latest developments in our
talks with the Portuguese, they thought it
would be a mistake to take action on the
lines agreed on between the President and
the Prime Minister.    It is, incidentally,
interesting to see that the President has
apparently managed to persuade himself that
the Azores are in the Western Hemisphere
and therefore that selectees could be sent
there.    I wonder if he would in fact use
this argument with Congress?     He has not,
I think, attempted to send selectees to
Iceland, though apparently he claims that
that is in the Western Hemisphere too. It
is also interesting to see that the President
is really apparently contemplating with
favour the possibility of some Brazilians
occupying the Portuguese islands. Perhaps,
however, the political effect of this example
of Pan American solidarity might outweigh
the obvious disadvantages.
May we show this paper to Mr. Hall
and Commander Coleridge for the Joint Staff
Mission?
September 8th, 19kl»