Page image
Page image

27

Full Text of the Joint Communique Issued in Washington on 12th September at the End of the Discussions Between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada on the Dollar Situation 1. Representatives of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada have met during the past week to examine the trade and financial relationships between the sterling area and the dollar area. The pound and the dollar are the two principal world trading currencies. While the development of a satisfactory balance of payments between the two areas is a matter of fundamental concern to the democratic world, it involves many problems which concern in the first instance the Governments which are the centres of these two currency systems. The present discussions were held to examine these problems. It was recognized that the task of working out conditions under which world trade can develop steadily and in increasing freedom will require a strenuous and sustained effort not only on the part of the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, but also by all other countries desiring the same objectives. 2. It was agreed that the common aim is co work towards an ultimate solution which will maintain employment and establish equilibrium of international trade on a mutually profitable basis at high levels. These objectives and general course of action have already been set forth in the United Nations Charter, the Bretton Woods Agreement, and the Havana Charter for an International Trade Organization. It was the broad purpose of the present meetings to explore, within this general framework, various specific measures which the three Governments might take to prevent a serious breakdown in the dollar-sterling relationships, which would have led to a crippling limitation of dollar imports into the sterling area, and to hasten the achievement of those objectives. 3. These conversations have carried forward the consultations initiated in London during July 8-10. They have resulted in a clear understanding of the character of the difficulties to be faced and an increasing realization that a fully satisfactory solution will necessitate continuing efforts in many directions. In the course of these conversations it has become possible to discuss with complete frankness specific problems and the types of measures which will have to be taken if the three countries are to achieve their common purpose. 4. In the early stages of the discussion, attention was given to the immediate problem confronting the United Kingdom and the rest of the sterling area as a result of the rapid decline of gold and dollar reserves.

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert