893.51 Manchuria/48
The Ambassador in France (Edge) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 30.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s instruction No. 63 of August 4, 1933,22 requesting the Embassy to make an informal investigation of an Associated Press despatch regarding the formation of a Tokyo Franco-Japanese Association to make investments in the new state of Manchukuo.
[Page 401]On August 19 the Commercial Attaché of the Embassy had an informal conversation with M. Etienne Fougère, who is President of the Association Nationale pour l’Expansion Economique. M. Fougère stated that a preliminary investigation of conditions in Manchuria is now being made under the auspices of this Association on behalf of a group of French manufacturers and that a representative is now on the ground making personal studies, but that this is being done with the sole object of ascertaining the facts and no decision whatever has been arrived at regarding the action, if any, that may be taken subsequent to the receipt of this representative’s report. M. Fougère denied that any plans had been made for the investment of French capital, as indicated in the despatch from Tokyo.
It appears, in other words, that while it is true that France wishes to determine whether Manchuria does offer commercial and financial opportunities and, if so, the channels through which these could be taken advantage of, the matter has not gone beyond the obtaining of basic information, upon the character of which any further steps will entirely depend.
Respectfully yours,
First Secretary of Embassy
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