CO129-585-5 Sino-Japanese conflict- shipping on Pearl River 3-1-1940 - 25-8-1940 — Page 155

2.

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The

consider that this notification, made in a more or less semi-

official form, required an acknowledgment or an answer. absence of any indication of the object of the proposed conversations did not permit of an opinion being formed as to

the procedure to be followed. Moreover, the Japanese démarche, which was made in the form of a declaration of intention, might prove to be merely a ballon d'essai intended to influence the

negotiations between Japan and the United States, which the French Government do not wish to hinder.

5.

Since the above conversation, which took place on December 18th, the Japanese Government have made no further communication to the French Government in the matter.

6. The Ministry go on to say that as to the attitude to be adopted in the event of the Japanese Government expressing a desire to initiate the proposed conversations, the French Government share the views of His Majesty's Government. They consider it desirable to avoid separate negotiations which would give the Japanese Government the possibility of manoeuvring, and they consider it advisable that any conversations should be on a semi-official basis, in order not to affect the legal positions taken up so far. They are inclined to agree with His Majesty's Government that the proposed discussions might be limited to the practical arrangements to be made for preparing the resumption of navigation.

7. Further, the French Government consider that these two objects might more easily be attained if the conversations concerning the Yangtse took place at Shanghai and those con- cerning the Pearl River, if they are held, at Canton.

8. The Ministry state that they would be grateful to receive any further information which may reach His Majesty's Government in this matter. They would also be glad to be informed of the result of the démarche_made by His Majesty's Ambassador at Washington to the State Department.