靠
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
RECE
175
3502
Race 3 FEB 10
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[2070]
No. 1.
[January 18.]
4
SECTION 2.
Sir Edward Grey to Sir A. Nicolson.
(No. 27.) (Telegraphic.) P.
Foreign Office, January 18, 1910. UNITED STATES proposal for neutralisation of Manchurian railways. The draft reply of the Russian Government to Mr. Knox's proposal was communi- cated to us yesterday by M. Sevastopoulo. At the same time he informed us in strict confidence that the Russian Government had come to this decision in communication with Japan. The sense of the answer is as follows:-
"Russian Government are of opinion that the sovereignty of China and the principle of the open door are in no wise threatened by the present situation in Manchuria, and they decline to entertain the projected neutralisation of Manchurian railways.
They lay stress on the prejudice which would result from the execution of this scheme to the Chinese Eastern Railway Company and the numerous private interests connected with it, and also on the strategical importance of question, as that line forms a link of communication with Russian possessions in the Far East.
"As regards the question of Russian participation in the proposed Chinchow-- Aigun Railway, the Imperial Government would wish to learn in the first place the basis on which that undertaking rests, for they are so far uninformed on this point."
[2581 -2]
S
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.