862.20/945
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Bingham) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 24.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to my despatches Nos. 1375 and 1377 of to-day,95 on the results of the Stresa meeting, and to report that the Prime Minister in a statement made this afternoon in the House of Commons said that the first subject dealt with was the request of the French Government that the German action should be considered by a special meeting of the Council of the League, and the three Governments found themselves in agreement as to the recommendations that should be made to the Council. The Prime Minister quoted the White Papers containing the Conference communiqué as regards the view of the Conference on the effect of the German Government’s announcement of rearmament.96 The Prime Minister made other quotations and said that in spite of the changed situation the Conference decided still to discuss security in the terms of the Anglo-French declaration of February 3, which contemplated the negotiation of a general settlement with Germany. The Conference, he said, then dealt with the Eastern Pact and it was agreed that endeavors should be continued by the Powers concerned to proceed with negotiations which would cover Eastern Europe with a system of non-aggression and mutual assistance treaties.
The Prime Minister said the second concern of the Conference as regards security was that of the maintenance of the independence and integrity of Austria. The three Powers confirmed their previous declaration that their common policy would continue to be inspired by the recognition of that necessary objective. They also agreed to recommend that representatives of the interested Governments, including all those bordering on Austria, should meet in Rome at an early date with a view to concluding a pact of non-aggression and noninterference in Central Europe. The Prime Minister recalled that both as regards the Eastern Pact and the independence of Austria the British attitude had always been one of close and friendly interest, but that Britain had incurred no obligations except that of consultation in the event of the integrity and independence of Austria being threatened. No further obligation was added at Stresa.
[Page 248]There was also brought to the notice of the British representatives at Stresa the desire of Austria, Bulgaria and Hungary to obtain a revision of the armaments clauses of the treaties by which they were bound. The Conference decided to recommend the interested States to examine the question with a view to a settlement by mutual agreement in connection with general and regional guarantees of security.
The three Powers further agreed to continue actively the study of the proposed Air Pact for Western Europe with a view to drafting a Pact and any bilateral agreements which might accompany it. The Prime Minister recalled that Italy and Great Britain had reaffirmed their Locarno obligations. The Prime Minister repeated that Britain had assumed no new commitments at Stresa; that they had not condoned Germany’s action, but on the contrary had made it plain that they regarded it as a grave cause of unsettlement and a blow to any international organization of peace and order. Great Britain had kept the door open for Germany to join as an active partner in the movements planned to create a system of collective security in Europe. The Prime Minister said: [“]We have made it clear that our policy will continue to be based on the Covenant of the League. The three States represented at the Conference departed not as separate units, broken by the undoubted difficulties they had to deal with, but as a combination of States pledged to keep together and try to find peaceful solutions for present dangers in cooperation with every State willing to associate itself with their work.”
Respectfully yours,
First Secretary of Embassy