This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be
returned to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]
FROM
Sir M. Lampson (Nanking)
150
86
Decypher.
31st March 1931.
D.
31st March 1931.
R. 10.00 p.m.
2nd April 1931.
No. 91. (tour)
[# # # # #
My telegram No. 74, tour series (grp. unde c).
I have today informed French Minister very confi- dentially of latest position including result of my talk with Minister for Foreign Affairs on March 30th.
2. He is making heavy weather in his negotiations and complains of unyielding attitude of his government prompted he believes by French Ambassador at Tokyo who from a distance criticises any form of conciliation
he suggests.
3.Minister himself is most anxious to rendite French concession at Hankow which he regards as nothing but an anxiety and an encumbrance. But he suspects that French Ambassador in league with Japanese Government who also have concessions there is blocking this. On Kwangchow- wan French Government are obdurate with result that on no point can French Minister destroy growing Chinese conviction that French are unreasonably unyielding.
4.He showed keen suspicion of Americans over extra- territoriality complaining that United States Minister never told him anything so I took pains to reassure him, I was sure United States Minister was doing nothing
whatever which would weaken the common cause.
5.I explained that my idea was to return to Nanking after Easter recess and I would discuss negotiations forthwith with considered opinion of His Majesty's_Govern- ment on stage we had now reached. In the meantime I hinted that it would be unfortunate if the French weaken-: ed position by giving away any of the points I had al- ready gained and of which he was aware. He said he fully appreciated that and I need have no fear so far as he was concerned,
Addressed to Foreign Office No.91 of March 31st repeated to Peking.
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