701.6193/74
The Chargé in China (Mayer) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 3.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to my telegrams No. 161 and No. 172 of April 21, 4 p.m., and April 25, 11 a.m., respectively, relative to [Page 641] the recognition of Mr. Karakhan, Ambassador of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics at Peking, as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps for ceremonial purposes.
I now wish to report that at the time that Mr. Cerruti, the Italian Minister notified Mr. Karakhan of his recognition as Dean, the latter requested to be informed whether he was also Dean of the Protocol Powers. The Italian Minister reported this question to the Diplomatic Body. Considerable discussion ensued, in which the French Minister and I expressed the point of view that we should not take the Soviet Ambassador too seriously; that, if we viewed his request too technically, we should undoubtedly be led into a very unfortunate situation. We stated that we were of the opinion that Mr. Karakhan was sui generis and should be so treated, that we were opposed to admitting him as either Doyen or a participant in meetings of Chiefs of Mission respecting the Protocol. The British Chargé expressed himself of the same opinion, and stated that he had received categorical instructions from his Government against permitting Mr. Karakhan to participate as a representative of a Protocol Power.
In concluding, it was unanimously agreed that the Heads of Legation, since the Diplomatic Body had now been abolished in its previous form, should simply meet together, when occasion demanded it, as officials with a common interest and in this way could include in such meetings only those persons with whom they desired to meet. The Italian Minister was, therefore, requested to reply in a negative manner to Mr. Karakhan’s request, and in the above sense. This Mr. Cerruti has done.
There is transmitted herewith enclosed, for the Department’s information, a copy of an article in regard to Mr. Karakhan’s recognition as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, which appeared in the Peking Leader of April 23, 1925.66
I have [etc.]
- Not reprinted.↩