Your telegram No. 281. [1]

As you know, we have been most reluctant to envisage reopening of
bilateral negotiations at the present time since, in our view,
much more comprehensive approach to the problem of Trade Barriers
will be essential in the general interest. The need for this has
been strongly urged upon United States Officials during recent
discussions in Washington. Report by our Officials on these
discussions is now in advance stage of preparation and will
shortly be submitted to War Cabinet.

We hope, therefore, to be able to send you a full account in the
near future [2] and, pending the receipt of this information, we
earnestly hope that the Commonwealth Government will be willing
not to press suggestion for renewal of bilateral negotiations
until they have been able to review position as a whole in light
of outcome of recent exchanges of view with United States
Officials in field of commercial policy generally.