865d.01/213: Telegram
The Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 2—10 a.m.]
504. My 497, November 28, 5 p.m.75 The following official communiqué has just been issued:
“Count Ciano received the Japanese Ambassador who communicated to him the decision of his Government to transform the Legation in Addis Ababa into a Consulate General asking the exequatur therefor of the Government of His Majesty the King of Italy and Emperor of Ethiopia.
[Page 404]Count Ciano after having assured him that the Japanese interests in Ethiopia will be the object of particular attention on the part of the Italian authorities expressed to His Excellency Sugimura his pleasure at the decision of the Imperial Government at Tokyo.”
It is understood that a communiqué affecting Italian relations with Manchukuo will be issued in Tokyo and subsequently published here.
The explanation given in Italian official circles for the delay in issuing this communiqué is to the effect that owing to the world wide reaction to the German-Japanese anti-Communist agreement the Italian Government felt that if the Italo-Japanese undertakings affecting Ethiopia and Manchukuo should be published at the time of the publication of the German-Japanese agreement it might be construed that these two accords were closely connected and consequently erroneous inferences might be drawn as to the intentions of the governments concerned.
- Not printed.↩