852.00/6426: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Bucknell) to the Secretary of State
Geneva, September 10, 1937—11
p.m.
[Received September 10—9:50 p.m.]
[Received September 10—9:50 p.m.]
277. The Mediterranean Conference opened at Nyon this afternoon in public session. Upon the proposal of Eden, Delbos was made President.
- 1.
- Delbos said that the object of the Conference was to find a method of forestalling those acts which are interfering with shipping in the Mediterranean. He said they were not proposing anything new but that during the present emergency it was necessary to take some steps which would secure respect for the rules and conventions already in existence. He hoped for a speedy success of the Conference which he thought would do much to clear the present grave political atmosphere.
- 2.
- Litvinoff54 characterized the attacks on commercial shipping as “state piracy.” Referring to the sinking of Russian ships he said that Russia must and will take its own measures. Recent events had not encouraged it to trust to measures taken by other states but it would take part in and lend its support to any international effort to deal with the problem. He suggested that the failure to invite Spain, which had suffered more than any other power, might still be remedied and condemned the failure of two states to accept invitations to participate.
- 3.
- Eden regretted the fact that two states had not been able to accept the invitation to be present and said that the Conference would no doubt wish to keep them informed in the hope that they might eventually associate themselves with any measures decided upon. He emphasized the necessity for the speedy conclusion of the definite task they had before them. The Conference then went into private session.
Report on private session follows.
Bucknell
- Maxim Litvinov, Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs.↩