462.00 R 29/390: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Wallace) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 19—10:47 a.m.]
1933. Referring to Franco-British negotiations regarding Geneva conference. Following communication was sent Thursday evening, November 11, to the British Ambassador by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, transmitted to London and approved by the British Government:
“His Excellency Lord Derby was good enough under date of November 5, 1920, to forward the British Government’s answer to the French note of October 20.
The President of the Council highly appreciates the spirit of entente in which the British Government has adhered in general to the procedure proposed by the French Government. The different stages of the examination of the question of reparations henceforth will be as follows:
- 1.
- A meeting at Brussels of Allied technical experts sitting with German experts. The experts will report to their respective Governments and the minutes of their meeting will be communicated to the Reparation Commission.
- 2.
- A conference [of] Allied ministers will meet at Geneva after the plebiscite of Upper Silesia but at the latest during the first fortnight of February to discuss the question of reparations in its entirety (total amount of the debt, examination of Germany’s capacity to pay, et cetera). The representatives of the German Government will take part in this conference in a consultative capacity as at Spa. The members of the Geneva Conference will make their report to their respective governments and each of these governments will inform its representative on the Reparation Commission of the conclusions reached as regards the report of its representatives at the Conference of Geneva.
- 3.
- Conference of Reparations Commission will then proceed conformably to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles to fix the total amount and the manner of payment of the sums due by Germany and will make a report to the Powers concerning the capacity of payment of Germany.
- 4.
- Meeting of the Supreme Council to examine all subsequent measures to be taken including guarantees and penalties.”