893.71 Manchuria/59: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 14—2:15 p.m.]
250. Supplementing my 247 and 248. After election of Moresco, Netherlands, as president, the Advisory Committee heard a statement from Eden13 as to the motives which led to the British sending their letter of January 8 last (document C 102). The chairman invited comment and the representatives of France, Czechoslovakia, and Switzerland emphasized the entirely technical nature of this matter and the necessity for making recompense directly for services to the “Manchukuo” authorities. Moresco will offer a report at the next meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
It became clearly evident that the entire Committee wishes to treat this matter as purely technical with no political significance. I could not have advanced the Department’s views without at once assuming a leadership of a thesis in opposition to that held by other members. I therefore felt it advisable to withhold comment awaiting replies to my 247 and 248. If you still feel it advisable I can take the matter up both informally and formally on Wednesday.
- Anthony Eden, British Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.↩