765.84/695: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:45 p.m.]
256. 1. I learn from a reliable source that the developments in a private Council meeting today were substantially as follows:
Only Great Britain, France, Italy and Abyssinia, and Litvinoff in his capacity as president, participated in the discussion which concerned only the question of the scope of the agenda and in which the following positions were taken:
Italy maintained that the sole object of the Council was to find means of resuming the procedure of conciliation and arbitration, that respecting these procedures the question to be settled was regarding the aggressor at Wal Wal. There should be no discussion at the present session on a wider basis, in particular since the dispute was under arbitration. In any event Italy could not at present participate in a wider discussion.
[Page 621]Jèze stated that Abyssinia had asked the Council to intervene when it became clear that there was no hope of success in the conciliation and arbitration proceedings. Abyssinia was ready however to do everything to insure a pacific settlement. There was, nevertheless, no restriction as to the subject before the Council which embodied two questions (1) arbitration, and (2) the general matter of the dispute. In addition to the arbitration problem was the attitude of the Italian Government. The question was whether they were to embark upon procedures which would postpone matters or whether they would seek a peaceful solution which would decide the issue. The situation was becoming aggravated from day to day.
Laval then stated that both countries had agreed that arbitration had broken down and each had rejected the responsibility for the breakdown. By the Council’s resolutions of May 25 the present meeting was to examine the question of the situation created by the check in the arbitration. He understood that Italy does not dispute the competence of the Council in this respect but that Italy requests that the examination of the Council be limited to the Wal Wal incident. The representative of Abyssinia did not request an extension of the discussion. The Council should thus consider the best means for the resumption of arbitration, that it should meet tomorrow, and in the meantime Great Britain and France should assist the parties in finding a formula to give the resolution of May 25 its full effect.
Eden wished it to be understood that no decision had been made to limit the agenda.
Litvinoff interpreted the proposal to meet tomorrow as not limiting the freedom of decision by the Council.
The proposal was adopted.
2. The general situation seems to be that the circumstance that the meeting was held today was because it was so scheduled and not because an agreement had been reached, that an understanding exists between the French and the Italians at least on the procedure here while a divergence of policy continues between the French and the British. The tactics the Abyssinians may follow are not clear.