[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned
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195
From FRA CE.
Telegram (en clair) from Sir. Phipps (Paris),
20th September, 1957.
BY BAG. 20th September, 1937.
R.
No. 564 SAVING.
29th September, 1957.
Your despatch Ho. 1818 of September 24th (transport of
arms to China).
mentioned this matter to the Secretary General of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who informed me that no restriction-
has been placed on the actual transport of war material by French
ships. As regards war material itself, apart from aeroplanes,
the French Government consider that the nationalisation of
munition factories has now reached so adv nced a stage that to
allow these munitions to be exported to either China or Japan
would be equivalent to official intervention on behalf of the
country sulied. The export of munitions to China and Japan is
therefore forbidden. As regards the aeroplane industry,
nationalisation has not one so far and is in all cases only
partial, and the Government regard it consequently as a private
enterorise and decided a few days ago that export of aeroplanes
is to be permitted to either party.
Very Confidential.
1. Léger told me in strict confidence that he thought that
the Japanese Ambassador would probably ask for permission to
export French arms and munitions to Japan. In that case i.
Léger intended to inform him that export would then have to be
permitted to China as well, and if the Japanese Government
agreed he would see to it that for every gun Japan obtained,
China would get ten.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.