500.A14/685: Telegram
The Chargé in France ( Marriner ) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 20—7:42 a.m.]
539. Department’s 293, July 18, 6 p.m.28 I saw Massigli29 yesterday afternoon who said that with respect to first part of the reservation France had no objection either as to matter or form. As to the second part concerning the Persian Gulf although they felt that the matter was irrelevant they had no objection to its basic meaning but on legal grounds felt that it would be necessary for France as the depositary of the ratifications of the treaty to obtain the consent of all the other parties to the treaty to this reservation. He likewise feared that the just consideration of special reservations of this kind might induce a great variety of reservations on the part of other powers.
He was sorry that Barthou’s30 absence in England and subsequently in the south of France had delayed this informal answer.
Copies to London and Geneva.