Since your telephone talk with Hodgson we have spoken to Bevin,
Strang, Hood and with other Dominions. Strang says that the United
Kingdom and U.S.A. will support our view for full discussions and
participation at this stage of all allies, but France and Soviet
were noncommittal prior to the meeting this afternoon. All however
seem to be agreed that the only duty of the Deputies at these
London meetings, and at this first preliminary stage starting
post, is to hear the views of the allies, and they are instructed
merely to report those views to Moscow. Thus they do not even
submit recommendations as to principles or any agreed views, let
alone draft an interim agreement. You will recall you suggested
this as an immediate step.

There are 17 countries submitting long papers which have to be
digested and collated before they can commence their report. They
fear the time factor alone will prevent general discussion by all
countries. However they will press our points this afternoon but
emphasise that this is only the first stage in what may be a very
long process. We are in at the start despite Soviet opposition at
New York and there is no reason why we should be excluded at any
subsequent stage when the Council of Foreign Ministers issue
directives for the consideration and formulation of actual treaty
or interim agreement terms, assuming the Council of Foreign
Ministers accept at Moscow our proposals for the latter.

You will appreciate that in earlier Commonwealth talks Bevin and
other representatives had no clear ideas as to how far these
meetings would go, or on what lines they would proceed, but now
the position is clearer. We may not achieve all your desiderata at
this first stage but are very hopeful that we will be fully and
actively associated throughout all subsequent formalities.