793.94/2365: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 28—9:15 a.m.]
262. Late last night Drummond handed me a copy of a note from Sze to Briand dated October 24 and informed me of two conversations which have a relationship to the note in question.
1. Note from Sze to Briand. The text of this note is as follows:
“With reference to the negotiations [observations] on treaty obligations made in the Council this morning by the Honorable Delegate [Page 333] for Great Britain, with which I am in hearty agreement, I am authorized by my Government to make the following declaration:
China like every member of the League of Nations is bound by the Covenant to a ‘scrupulous respect for all treaty obligations’. The Chinese Government for its part is determined loyally to fulfill all its obligations under the Covenant. It is prepared to give proofs of this intention by undertaking to settle all disputes with Japan as to treaty interpretation by arbitration or judicial settlement as provided in article 13 of the Covenant.
In pursuance of this purpose the Chinese Government is willing to conclude with Japan a treaty of arbitration similar to that recently concluded by [between] the United States and China or to those concluded of recent years in increasing numbers between members of the League.”
Note: As this will be circulated today to the Council it is not confidential. The delay in circularization has been due to obtaining Briand’s concurrence.
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