CO129-529-4 China- extraterritoriality 23-11-1931 - 31-12-1931 — Page 154

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in line with the American Government, although the latter insisted on negotiating in Washington, which sade things very difficult. Exactly what the American attitude was he was not quite clear, but he would be seeing the Acerican Minister at Fanking in a few days time. The

trouble was that the American Government rather tended to follow a zig-zag course, first advancing and making concessions and them retreating and withdrawing them, so that it was difficult to know just where one stood with tea,

Discussing the question of safeguards, Bir M. Lampson indiested that evocation, which was in any case rather in the nature of a paper guarantee, would pro bably be the first one to go. H.M.G. considered that in any case the time was opportune for getting on with this business and making a real attempt to reach a settlement. As regards the situation which would arise

if no settlement were reached, it was of course difficult to speculate, but it see:sed probable that the

Chinese would tighten up the screw and that there would be a tenderey towards forcing the issue over miner inci-ents auch as those which had occurred and had been satisfactorily disposed of in 1930.

Sir M. Lampson referred briefly to the question of the reserved areas, with special reference to Shanghai, and intimated that he thought H.H.G. were likely to take a fairly firm stand on that point.

No questions were asked and there was a little or neo discussion on the part of the members of the Joint Committee on the Extra-territoriality issue. following other matters were however mentioned.

The

Mr./