On 18th January Addison called a meeting of British Commonwealth
Ministers and Heads of Delegations to consider the question of
bases set out in recent various cablegrams. Bevin attended and
gave the backgrounds of talks with Byrnes and Molotov on the
subject.

2. The view of Bevin was generally acceptable that now the
Security Council was actually in existence it would be most unwise
to start what might be regarded as a race for bases or negotiate
outside the Security Council any agreement for bases as distinct
from purely Air Transport bases. Your opinion that this issue was
largely a try out was generally shared and Fraser had also
obtained a firm impression that the State Department was divided
on the subject.

3. The United Kingdom were emphatic that no commitment whatever
had been made with the United States on any aspect of the question
and that nothing would be done without full consultation with and
the presence of the Dominion representatives.

4. Bevin made the interesting point that the Soviet Union were
anxious to know whether the United Kingdom and the United States
had reached any understanding or whether there had been
discussions as to Japanese Mandated Territories. Stalin had also
raised the question of freedom of Skaagerat to which Bevin had
replied there would be a guarantee of this so long as Soviet
Russia kept off any mention of bases.

5. Bevin said Byrnes had wanted to keep the Dominions out of any
conversations but the United Kingdom had refused and eventually
Byrnes had agreed with some reluctance to include the Dominions in
any further conversations.

To this end Bevin suggested it might be advisable to hold an early
meeting to discuss with Byrnes the list which the United States
had submitted regarding the South Pacific to be attended by
Dominion Ministers purely on an exploratory basis in order to
exchange views and find out what the United States definitely had
in mind and to ascertain clearly any difficulties in point of view
without any commitment.

There was general agreement on this and Bevin indicated he would
endeavour to arrange such a meeting during the period of this
conference.

6. Would be glad of any views or comments you may have. In the
meantime another Commonwealth meeting on the same subject has been
called for on Tuesday morning next.