793.94 Conference/247: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
300. Your 544, November 16, 1 p.m.
1. With regard to the statement contained in the first sentence of your paragraph numbered 1, I do not find in the declaration adopted by the Brussels Conference on November 1597a the words “united [Page 197] action”. I assume that the Minister for Foreign Affairs may have had reference to the last paragraph of that declaration, which reads as follows:
“Though hoping that Japan will not adhere to her refusal the states represented at Brussels must consider what is to be their common attitude in a situation where one party to an international treaty maintains against the views of all the other parties that the action which it has taken does not come within the scope of that treaty, and sets aside provisions of the treaty which the other parties hold to be operative in the circumstances.”
2. With regard to your paragraph numbered 2, you may inform the Minister for Foreign Affairs as from me that there is not an atom of truth in any statement that the United States Government took the initiative in convoking the Brussels Conference. You may also inform the Minister for Foreign Affairs that it is my understanding that neither this Government nor any Government there represented has done any more than assume its share of the common responsibility to exchange views with regard to the situation.
I am astonished that any Foreign Office, with the information which is publicly available with regard to the facts and developments, could have any misunderstanding as to whether the United States Government took the initiative in calling the Brussels Conference, or as to the general attitude and policy of this Government. Since the beginning of the present conflict between China and Japan, the attitude and policy of this Government have been made abundantly clear through public statements. That attitude and policy remain unchanged.
3. Please inform Hirota that I sincerely appreciate his desire to maintain good relations with the United States; that during the past 5 years I have striven to that end both in season and out of season; and that in all frankness and friendliness I must express my apprehension lest the present situation in the Far East do injury to the cause of fostering and developing those mutually good relations which we both have constantly in mind.