740.00/1256: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Kennedy) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 1—5:05 p.m.]
590. For the Secretary and Under Secretary. My 527, April 20, 7 [8] p.m.68 The Anglo-Soviet conversations have not yet reached any positive result although the Foreign Office is endeavoring to find a formula that will assure the association of the Soviet Government with the efforts now being made to build up a front against aggressor nations.
The British Government is trying to reconcile the following considerations: (a) Not to forego the chance of receiving help from the Soviet Government in the case of war; (b) not to jeopardize the common front by disregarding the susceptibilities of Poland and Rumania where Russia is concerned; (c) not to forfeit the sympathy of the world at large by giving a handle to German anti-Comintern propaganda; (d) not to jeopardize the cause of peace by provoking violent action by Germany.
The proposals made by the Soviet and the French Governments (my 514, April 18, 7 p.m.) is a matter which seems to run counter to some of the foregoing considerations. The British Government therefore still considers that something on the lines of its original proposal (my 504, April 17, 9 p.m.69) is best calculated to meet the complications of the situation.
In order to make clear the nature and purpose of their proposals and in order to meet in some degree French and Russian views the British have suggested to the French Government that they be revised along the following lines: The Soviet Government to make a public declaration on its own initiative in which, after referring to the general statement of policy recently made by Stalin70 (when he [Page 246] said that Russia stood for support of any country which was prepared to resist an unprovoked aggression), and having regard to the statements recently made by the British and French Governments accepting new obligations on behalf of certain Eastern European countries, the Soviet Government would undertake that in the event of Great Britain and France being involved in hostilities in fulfillment of these obligations the assistance of the Soviet Government would be available if desired and would be afforded in such manner as might be most convenient. The British think that this proposal does take due account of the susceptibilities of Poland and Rumania, neither of whom would be mentioned individually; and the Soviet declaration would be unilateral.
The above views of the British Government have been communicated to Poland and Rumania along general lines, without any express request for assent. M. Gafencu when recently in London had the British ideas explained to him, however, and stated that they met with no objection on his part. The Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs has informed the British Ambassador71 that Poland had no objection in principle. The views of the French have not yet been received in London except that during a conversation reported between the British Ambassador and M. Bonnet, M. Bonnet said that he saw no objection, provided British Government should be able to persuade the Soviet Government to accept them; M. Bonnet doubts whether this is possible.
When Lord Halifax saw the Soviet Ambassador on Saturday, M. Maisky was still raising objections to any sort of limited guarantees and insisting on the superior utility of the Russian proposal for a general all-around guarantee as set forth in his Government’s proposals (my 514, April 18, 7 p.m.). He asked Lord Halifax when a reply would be made to the Russian proposals and the Secretary of State replied that he hoped it could be got out very shortly. I gathered that the attitude of M. Maisky was not particularly helpful and that he had no constructive suggestions to make.
M. Maisky also asked the Secretary of State whether the German note denouncing the Anglo-German naval agreement72 has been acknowledged. Lord Halifax said that it had not been acknowledged yet and that British observations would be made in due course.73
- Not printed.↩
- Not printed; see telegram No. 182, April 15, 6 p.m., from the Chargé in the Soviet Union, p. 232.↩
- Foreign Relations, The Soviet Union, 1933–1939, p. 739.↩
- Sir Howard William Kennard, British Ambassador in Poland.↩
- Signed June 18, 1935; for text, see Foreign Relations, 1935, vol. i, p. 162. For text of the German note of April 28, 1939, see German White Book, doc. No. 294, p. 313; or British Cmd. 6106, Misc. No. 9 (1939), doc. No. 22, p. 51, where the note is dated April 27, 1939.↩
- The British reply was given on June 23, 1939; for text, see British Cmd. 6106, Misc. No. 9 (1939), doc. No. 24, p. 53.↩