706.6193/20: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Bell) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 8—12:43 p.m.]
333. My 320, September 3, 4 p.m.84 Karakhan informed Italian Minister that omission in his note of August 26th [25th] and [of] reference to Russia’s being a protocol power was inadvertence and offered for [to] write a supplementary note to be dated August 26th tacitly confirming his statement to Dr. Schurman of July 24th, namely, “that the Government of the [Union] of Soviet Socialist Republics considers itself as a circulatory signatory [as a cosignatory] power to the final protocol of 1901.”
At the meeting on 5th all representatives were willing to answer this with a simple acknowledgment except French Chargé d’Affaires who submitted long draft reply restating our position that no future renunciation by Soviets of their rights under the protocol could affect ours. Italian Minister submitted this to Karakhan who was willing to accept it with slight modifications. At the meeting today French Chargé d’Affaires said he would have to telegraph Paris for permission to accept modifications, so matter will drag on for several days longer.
- Not printed.↩