800.51W89 France/608: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Armour) to the Secretary of State
351. … This morning I received a call from Briand asking me to come and see him…
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I asked him whether he had any recent information regarding the Sino-Russian dispute and he said that both the Chinese and Soviet representatives had been to see him; in fact, the Soviet Ambassador had just left and that the Chinese Minister had expressed his country’s willingness to arbitrate and to abide by its obligations under the peace pact, but that the Soviet Ambassador, who, however, did not seem very well informed with regard to his Government’s views, had expressed the opinion that the Soviet Government could not consider arbitration until the Chinese had restored matters to the status quo ante. M. Briand had replied that this would virtually mean having the Chinese give in to the Soviet demands before arbitration was initiated, which will seem to leave nothing to arbitrate. He added that he had impressed upon the Soviet Ambassador the ever-present danger of an explosion unless something were done immediately to relinquish the present tension.
M. Briand said that he was keeping you informed of all negotiations here (presumably through the French Ambassador at Washington).
- Telegram in two sections.↩