765.84/712: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 1—3:15 p.m.]
260. Council meeting scheduled for today has been postponed due to lack of agreement in the private negotiations which are continuing.
I learn from confidential sources that the immediate status of situation is that a draft resolution has been submitted to Mussolini containing the following elements: a continuance of the arbitration procedures; direct negotiations between France, Great Britain and Italy as signatories of the tripartite treaty of December 31 [13], 1906; Abyssinia to be brought into these conversations; the Council to review the entire situation in its September session.
Mussolini has raised objections as follows: with reference to the 1906 treaty in that such action would bring to the fore in the present issue and serve to reaffirm the existence of British and French as well as Italian “spheres of influence” in Abyssinia, also on the ground that a reference to action by the treaty powers in Council resolution would be in some respects tantamount to these powers acting as a committee of the Council and thus embodying action Council settlement which he does not desire, and furthermore that the participation of Abyssinia in discussions under the 1906 treaty would be improper as Abyssinia is not a party to the treaty and in particular that Abyssinia has not “recognized” the treaty.
It would appear that the Abyssinians are left aside in these negotiations and the assumption is now current that Abyssinia will accept any formula which may be devised.
In general the British are the advocates of a “strong” resolution while the French are still occupying a middle position.