724.3415/3709: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 22—2:10 p.m.]
89. I have been informed by responsible Secretariat officials as follows:
1. Respecting the preoccupations of certain League states described in my No. 85, May 19, midnight, third paragraph, the endeavor of the Secretariat will be to discount such contentions by stressing the special character of the Bolivia–Paraguay situation with particular reference to the statements respecting an aggressor on page 52 of the Commission’s report (Consulate’s despatch 907, political, of May 15, 193469).
I am informed that this element of the report was written with this present exigency in mind.
2. Consulate’s 88, May 22, 2 p.m. paragraph 1.
- (a)
- It will be noted that Japan is omitted. Japan was not approached last year to avoid probable unsuccessful results due to her special and adverse position vis-à-vis the League at that time. For similar reasons it is hoped that no state will now make its acceptance contingent on that of Japan.
- (b)
- The same hope is expressed respecting Soviet Russia which is likewise omitted.
- (c)
- German action is regarded as very uncertain and it is therefore desired that as few states as possible will make their present action contingent on Germany’s.
3. It is noted that should all producing states place an embargo on exports the action of the bordering states would not be necessary and conversely the prohibition of transit and reexport by the neighboring states would be sufficient without action by the producing states.
It is particularly desired to avoid each of these groups endeavoring to delay action by placing the chief responsibility upon the other.
4. From the position which Bolivia appears to be taking respecting the embargo (Consulate’s No. 80, May 18, 3 p.m. paragraph 3) it is believed that Bolivia may adopt the immediate strategy at the extraordinary meeting of the Council of accepting the Commission’s report thus placing Paraguay in an unfavorable position as juridically the state upon which pressure should alone be placed.
Although obviously this would have a direct relationship to the embargo question, Secretariat opinion has not gone further than that, under the conditions which would thus be created the question would have to be considered anew.
[Page 243]5. Although the League authorities perhaps naturally do not express themselves as pessimistic respecting the receipt of favorable replies to the proposals, nevertheless, they appear to be definitely sceptical as to the outcome in the face of the obvious and complicated difficulties which I have discussed.
- Not printed.↩