Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Ambassador of Great Britain Sir Oliver Franks, and Henry Byroade

MA 1010 230 300 September 30, 1952 MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION Participants: The British Ambassador Assistant Secretary Byroade Mr. Acheson In the course of his call upon me this afternoon, the British Ambassador covered a variety of matters which will be reported by Mr. Byroade. One matter which the Ambassador raised has to do with the attached draft letter proposed to be sent from Her Majesty's Government to the British oil companies involved in legal proceedings in the United States under the anti-trust laws. The Ambassador asked me whether I had seen this letter and whether I had any comments to make regarding it. I said that I had seen the letter and that I thought the British Government would wish to reconsider the wisdom of sending it for two reasons: 1. The letter covered documents some of which might well be within the jurisdiction of the United States and subject to the orders of its courts. In regard to these documents which were very broadly and vigorously described so that their identification would have to be left to the discretion of the oil companies themselves, the letter directed they should not be provided in response to orders, subpoenas or requests made or issued in connection with the proceedings in the United States under the anti-trust laws. I felt sure that the British Government could not intend to direct British companies to disregard orders of the United States courts and that it would wish to study this phase of the matter further. 2. The letter also applied to documents which might be within the jurisdiction of the British Government or other governments than the United States. So far as those within the jurisdiction of Great Britain were concerned, British authority over them was very great indeed. DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E) Dept. of State letter, 102676 By NLT- HC NARS Date 11 25-76 CONFIDENTIAL