511.4A6/113
The British Ambassador ( Lindsay ) to the Secretary of State
Sir: You will recall that during the discussions held on the occasion of the Third Meeting of the Fifty-ninth Session of the Council of the League of Nations regarding the conference to be held on the Limitation of Manufacture of Dangerous Drugs—the date for which had been previously fixed by the Council as December 1st, 1930—His Majesty’s Government, in order to give effect to a proposal for a preliminary consultation between the governments of the manufacturing countries with a view to facilitating discussions at the main conference, offered to take the initiative in calling a preliminary conference of manufacturing countries at the end of July. It became later apparent that the preparatory work undertaken by the Secretariat of the League of Nations—which would be requisite for a preliminary conference—was not sufficiently advanced to allow of such a conference being held as early as the end of July. His Majesty’s Government accordingly informed the Secretary General of the League of Nations on July 9th that since the material necessary for the use of the preliminary conference was not yet available, it was impossible for them to convene the conference as originally intended. Moreover, His Majesty’s Government [Page 647] were not at that time in a position to suggest a suitable alternative date.
I now have the honour to enquire whether the United States Government would be disposed to participate in such a preliminary conference, and to inform you that similar enquiries are being addressed to the French, Netherlands, Swiss, German and Japanese Governments.
I am to add that my Government now contemplate that the preliminary conference should be held at Geneva and consider that the last Monday in October71 would be the earliest suitable date for its opening. This date, however, is provisional only, and may require to be postponed should the material necessary to enable the conference to come to a conclusion not have by then become available.
I have [etc.]
- October 27, 1930.↩