File No. 893.00/1634.
The Austro-Hungarian Embassy to the Department of State.
Washington . [Undated.]
aide mémoire.
The Imperial Japanese Embassy in Vienna has communicated to the Foreign Office a circular telegram of its Government according to which said Government considers as opportune to put now its proposal of February 1912 concerning the recognition of the Chinese Republic which had met with general consent into a concrete form.
The Government suggest that the powers should recognize the Chinese Republic as far as possible at the same time when in the course of the present session of Parliament lasting tranquility in the country should appear secured and the fulfillment of the international obligations to China to be guaranteed also by the new Government. The choice of the suitable moment should be left to the diplomatic representatives in Peking and the recognition effectuated through the Powers following common proposition of their representatives by means of identical notes drafted by said representatives and delivered to the Chinese Government.
I request your excellency to inform yourself how the Japanese proposal has been received by the American Government and to add that [Page 115] Count Berchtold would be disposed to give to the Imperial and Royal Minister at Peking the necessary instructions in the sense of the Japanese proposal if the other cabinets were willing to do the same.