740.00/250: Telegram
The Minister in Czechoslovakia (Carr) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:12 p.m.]
76. President Beneš assured me today that in his opinion the situation in Europe has definitely improved; that Spain is being liquidated; that designs of the dictators have been unsuccessful; that Germany is in no condition to go to war for at least 3 years and that meanwhile the way is open for negotiation in 1938. He is well pleased with the visit of Delbos and has informed him as well as German Minister that he is ready to negotiate with Germany at any time for a bilateral or collective pact but only on condition that France and Great Britain also negotiate with Germany concurrently. He will not disregard his obligations to them and feels that resistance of Czechoslovakia to Germany as contrasted with the weaker attitude of Poland and Yugoslavia has been of material value to the democracies. He thinks, however, Poland and Yugoslavia although unable publicly to state their position are actually loyal to France especially since development of solidarity between France and England. He has informed Delbos and German Minister that the treatment of minorities in Czechoslovakia is an internal question which he will not discuss with other governments. He claims minorities receive much better treatment in Czechoslovakia than in any other European state and that Germany’s only reason for attacking Czechoslovakia’s minority policy and not that of Poland, for example, is that she wanted to turn over Czechoslovakia into desertion of France and isolate her from Western Europe. He thinks the Sudetendeutsche Party is disintegrating and will disappear in a few years. Henlein has already determined to revise his former attitude and seek election as deputy. Only in that capacity will the President deal directly with him. The question of German-Czech press relations is now in process of negotiation. The foregoing statements are in substantial accord with those made to me by German Minister on Monday.