Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1936, The Near East and Africa, Volume III

765.84/4827: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Straus) to the Secretary of State

Paris, July 11, 1936—1 p.m.
[Received July 11—10:30 a.m.]

593. With regard to the report published in the press that the French Government has notified the British Government that their Mediterranean mutual assistance accord will not be in effect after July 15th, the following are the facts as stated by the Foreign Office:

When Eden made his speech in the Commons on June 18th¹³ and said that the mutual assistance arrangements in the Mediterranean which Great Britain had made with various powers should continue in effect after the raising of sanctions, Corbin¹⁴ was then instructed to say that the French were a bit puzzled over this since it was their point of view so far as their arrangement with England was concerned that once sanctions were lifted the mutual assistance arrangement which had been based on the application of sanctions must also cease to have effect. At that time the British Government did not reply definitely to the French Government but said that the Government must wait and see how public opinion in England developed.¹⁵

At the last Assembly meeting in Geneva Eden renewed the statement that the Mediterranean arrangements would continue in effect after the lifting of sanctions.¹⁶ Recently the Italian Ambassador here saw Léger¹⁷ and asked definitely if there was in fact any Mediterranean pact of a military nature directed against Italy. In reply he was informed of all the facts in the matter of the French point of view that once sanctions were lifted the Mediterranean arrangement would cease to have effect and was assured that there was no military pact of any nature directed against Italy. The French then informed the British of what was said to the Italian Ambassador.¹⁸

Repeated by mail to London, Rome, Berlin and Geneva.

Straus

[At the September 1936 meeting of the Assembly of the League of Nations an unsuccessful attempt was made to exclude the Ethiopian delegation by refusing to recognize their credentials. Italy refused to participate in the meetings of the Assembly. Thereafter, the Emperor of Ethiopia did not send delegations to Geneva, but reserved the right to do so should any issues arise directly affecting Ethiopia.]

13. See telegram No. 315, June 18, 6 p.m., from the Chargé in the United Kingdom, p. 158.
14. André Charles Corbin, French Ambassador in the United Kingdom.
15. On July 15, 1936, Mr. Eden stated that France considered the assurances ended; House of Commons, Parliamentary Debates, vol. 314, 5th Series, p. 2025.
16. See League of Nations, Official Journal, Special Supplement No. 151, p. 34.
17. Alexis Léger, Secretary General of the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
18. On July 27, 1936, Mr. Eden announced the termination of the mutual assistance arrangement in the Mediterranean; House of Commons, Parliamentary Delates, vol. 315, 5th Series, p. 1123.