760F.6111/45: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:50 p.m.]
8710. While the Department is of course aware of the background of the Russian–Czech Treaty it may find following statements of a Foreign Office official of interest:
Beneš broached to the British Government last May his desire for a treaty with Russia. The British told Beneš that they did not look with much favor on the plan, firstly, because of the previous statements by the Czech and Polish Governments that the two countries would form a bloc and cooperate fully, and coming directly after the severance of Russian–Polish diplomatic relations, and secondly, because the British did not view favorably bilateral treaties and in fact were proposing to the Russians that a “self-denying ordinance” be agreed to by the Russians and the British, an ordinance that neither country would conclude bilateral treaties with small Allied powers.7 [Page 728] In connection with this second point, the British felt that bilateral treaties would be endless in number once one was made, and secondly, that they probably could be a nuisance in the long run.
Beneš went ahead and it appeared that the Russians were anxious for such a treaty, but Beneš finally said that he would await the decision on the “self-denying ordinance”.
At Moscow the matter was of course discussed in conference.
With regard to the ordinance, the British saw that the Russians did not wish to enter into any such agreement and accordingly withdrew their objections, with the result that either country could make bilateral treaties if it chose. Parenthetically, the Foreign Office official said that the British Government did not have any such intentions.
Although the Soviet Government has said that it does not favor confederations,8 this new treaty does not fall into that class as there are no such limitations of sovereignty as would be included in a confederation.
Insofar as the reactions on Soviet–Polish relations are concerned the Foreign Office official does not believe that the treaty and protocol will facilitate them, but on the other hand it certainly would not impede them, and might ease the tension.
Another higher Foreign Office official concerned with Russian matters said that the Soviet Government must be very gratified to have this first definite agreement with one of its neighbors in an area which it regards as of vital importance to it.