(a) Any Federal Reserve Bank, with the consent of the Board, may open and maintain accounts payable in foreign currencies with such foreign banks as may be designated by the Board.

(b) Notwithstanding other provisions of this part, any officer or other representatives of the Federal Reserve Bank which maintains an account with a foreign bank may conduct such negotiations and enter into such agreements, contracts, or understandings with such foreign bank as may be authorized or directed by the Federal Open Market Committee in order to effectuate the conduct of open market transactions of the Federal Reserve Banks incident to the opening, maintenance, operation, increase, reduction, or discontinuance of such account; and, in any such case, such negotiations, agreements, contracts, or understandings shall be subject to such authorizations, directions, regulations, and limitations as may be prescribed by, or pursuant to authority of, the Federal Open Market Committee.

(c) Any Federal Reserve Bank may, when authorized or directed so to do by, or under the authority of, the Federal Open Market Committee, carry on or conduct, through any other Federal Reserve Bank which maintains an account with a foreign bank, any open market transactions authorized by section 14 of the Federal Reserve Act. Transactions authorized by section 14 which are not open market transactions may be carried on or conducted through such other Federal Reserve Bank only with the approval of the Board.

(d) Notwithstanding other provisions of this part, reports with respect to any accounts opened and maintained, and negotiations, agreements, contracts, and understandings entered into, pursuant to this section shall be made to the Board at least quarterly, and more frequently if so requested by the Board, by a duly authorized officer of the Federal Reserve Bank involved.