793.94 Conference/102: Telegram
The Ambassador in Belgium (Gibson) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 25—6:47 p.m.]
103. Spaak informed the British Ambassador late this afternoon that if the British Government insisted on the convening of the Conference on Saturday, October 30, the Belgian Government would reluctantly acquiesce. However, in view of the ministerial crisis the Government would much prefer that the Conference should convene on Wednesday, November 3. It is felt that even this brief respite might make it possible to constitute a new government and thus enable the Conference to get away to a better start.
Belgian Government has reached agreement with the British Foreign Office that invitation to Germany and Soviet Russia shall not be sent until after the receipt of the Japanese reply which it is felt here will undoubtedly be in the negative. As the Japanese reply is expected by tomorrow, Tuesday, the invitations to Germany and Russia would go forward the following day.
This telegram together with my 99, October 22, 7 p.m. repeated to Paris for the information of delegation on its arrival.