550.S1 Economic Commission/87: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva ( Gilbert ) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 30—8:30 a.m.]
207. Department’s 95, September 29, 6 p.m. Attended meeting this morning and indicated the American position as instructed.
Those present were as listed in my 202, September 28, 5 p.m., paragraph 2, except Hill and with the addition of a representative of Japan.
None of those present except myself had instructions of any kind from their Government except to attend the meeting and thus could only express their personal views.
The meeting proceeded to discuss, given the hypothesis of the interest of the Governments present, what would be the best course to follow.
On this basis it was felt that certain decision in principle might well be reached before any consideration of detailed procedure and in the discussion which followed three courses were envisaged;
- (a)
- meeting of important producers looking to an agreement among themselves which might later be confirmed by their respective Governments;
- (b)
- meeting of representatives of interested Governments;
- (c)
- a combined meeting of Government representatives and producers.
Colijn appeared to favor the first procedure citing in point the tin7 and tea agreements.8 The Belgium representative personally also favored a meeting of producers.
Those present were thereupon requested to obtain the views of their Governments on the foregoing as soon as possible and communicate them to Stoppani who will in turn confer with Colijn as to the feasibility of the latter proceeding under the powers granted him (Consulate’s 190, September 15, 4 [9] p.m.,9 paragraph 1). My personal opinion, however, is that this matter will continue in the hands of the Secretariat possibly with further informal meetings until the situation is further crystallized.
- For agreements signed at London, October 27, 1933, see Report of the Bureau to the Conference, pp. 28–29; and Great Britain, Cmd. 4825 (1935): Papers relating to the International Tin Control Scheme, pp. 5–11. The signatory Governments were Bolivia, the Malay States, the Netherlands East Indies, Nigeria; and Siam as a participating Government.↩
- Signed at London, February 9, 1933, by the Indian Tea Association (London); the South Indian Association in London; the Ceylon Association in London; the Vereeniging voor de Thee-Cultur in Nederlandsch Indië of Amsterdam; and Nederlandsch Indiasche Vereeniging voor de Thee-Cultur of Batavia; for text, see the International Tea Committee, Report of the International Tea Committee, [I] 1st July, 1933, to 31st March, 1934 (London, 1934), pp. 33–42.↩
- Not printed.↩