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Catalogue Reference:CAB/24/241
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His Bntannio Majest.y's
89
Government.)
Copy
.138 ( 3 3 ) .
Four-Power Acer e ement.
Note by t h e Permanent Under S e c r e t a r y
of S t a t e f o r F o r e i g n A f f a i r s
circulated
by d i r e c t i o n of the S e c r e t a r y of
f o r Foreign
State
Affairs.
I c i r c u l a t e h e r e w i t h by d i r e c t i o n of
S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e f o r Foreign A f f a i r s
the
a telegram
r e c e i v e d from the S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e i n r e g a r d t o
the n e g o t i a t i o n s f o r
a four-Power
Agreement,
t o g e t h e r with an English t r a n s l a t i o n of the
t e x t drawn up by the I t a l i a n Government
latest
after
-
....
discussions w i t h the B r i t i s h and French Ambassadors
; -... ­
and also with Captain Goring.
The c r u c i a l
of t h i s t e x t from our p o i n t of view i s N o
e
article
2 which,
i n the form shown, has been accepted by the
Italian
Government.
-
2.
I t w i l l be r e c o l l e c t e d t h a t one of
the
o b j e c t s of the agreement was to p r o v i d e machinery
by which p r a c t i c a l e f f e c t
could be g i v e n to
Article
19 of the Covenant of t h e League of N a t i o n s .
The
t e x t of t h i s a r t i c l e i s as f o l l o w s : ­
"The Assembly may from time t o time a d v i s e the
" r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n by Members of t h e League of
"which have become i n a p p l i c a b l e ,
treaties
and the considera­
" t i o n of i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o n d i t i o n s whose continuance
"might endanger the peace of the w o r l d . "
In
...
I n other words, "the o b j e c t was t o enable the
discussion of t h e q u e s t i o n of t r e a t y r e v i s i o n t o take
p l a c e e f f e c t i v e l y w i t h i n the framework of the League,
with due r e g a r d t o t h e r i g h t s of a l l the i n t e r e s t e d
parties.
This p r o v i s i o n created c o n s i d e r a b l e u n e a s i ­
ness, p a r t i c u l a r l y amongst the L i t t l e Entente S t a t e s ,
and i n Poland, and i n t h e i r memorandum which was com­
munlcated t o His M a j e s t y ' s Government on A p r i l
the French Government i n s i s t e d t h a t i f
the
11th
collaboration
of the Four Powers was to r e c e i v e a p r e c i s e
definition
i n the terms of the A r t i c l e s of t h e Covenant, i t would
be necessary to r e a f f i r m at the same time t h e p r o v i s i o n s
of A r t i c l e 10, which safeguards the t e r r i t o r i a l
integrity
of Members of the League and of A r t i c l e 16 which l a y s
down t h e sanctions t o be enforced a g a i n s t a Covenant­
breaking S t a t e .
Consequently, i n t h e i r d r a f t
text
which has been accepted as the b a s i s of the p r e s e n t
t e x t , the French Government added, i n A r t i c l e 2 , a
mention of both A r t i c l e 10 and A r t i c l e 16 of
the
Covenant, s i d e by s i d e with t h e mention of A r t i c l e 19
3.
0
The i n s e r t i o n of a mention of A r t i c l e 10 of
the Covenant would have been d i f f i c u l t t o r e s i s t ,
since
A r t i c l e s 10 and 19 d e a l with two s i d e s of the same
q u e s t i o n , v i z . ' r e s p e c t of t r e a t i e s
their revision
£
and t h e q u e s t i o n of
and both the I t a l i a n and German Govorn­
ments were prepared t o accept i t .
A r t i c l e 16 i s not so easy to defend,
But the mention of
since i t
more g e n e r a l a p p l i c a t i o n and does not deal
with the European problem.
i s of
specially
For t h i s reason i t s
omission
..
0
omission was suggested by the German Government, and
subsequently by His M a j e s t y ' s Government, both £or
t h i s reason and more e s p e c i a l l y because i t s
inclusion
i s c a l c u l a t e d to d i s t u r b p u b l i c opinion i n t h i s
country, which i s s t r o n g l y averse from undertaking
commitments under t h i s A r t i c l e ,
ment were a l s o opposed to i t s
4.
The I t a l i a n Govern­
inclusion.
Now, however, as a r e s u l t of French i n s i s t e n c e
t h e German and I t a l i a n Government have acquiesced,
though r e l u c t a n t l y ,
i n the mention of A r t i c l e 16, and
have a c c o r d i n g l y l e f t upon His M a j e s t y ' s Government the
onus of d e c i d i n g whether they s h a l l promote e a r l y
agreement by accepting t h i s unwelcome r e f e r e n c e ,
or
whether t h e y s h a l l continue to r e s i s t the French demand
with the consequent r i s k of a breakdown and the l o s s
of the advantages of an immediate s u c c e s s .
5.
We should s t i l l
obviously p r e f e r not t o g i v e
way on t h i s p o i n t , but we. are f a c e d with the
difficulty
of being the only Government prepared t o maintain i t s
opposition,
and with the r e s u l t a n t danger of
being
misrepresented, not o n l y i n the w o r l d at l a r g e , but by
political
a d v e r s a r i e s at home, as having wrecked an
agreement which i s on the verge of
6.
Moreover i t
conclusion.'
i s t o be observed that the
extent
of His M a j e s t y ' s Government's commitment under
A r t i c l e 2 i s l i m i t e d t o examining with the other
s i g n a t o r i e s , under r e s e r v e of d e c i s i o n s which can
only be taken by the r e g u l a r organs of the League,
proposals
all
proposals r e l a t i v e to the methods and procedures
c a l c u l a t e d to g i v e f u l l
effect
t o the A r t i c l e .
M a j e s t y ' s Government h a v e , a f t e r a l l ,
His
signed the
Covenant, and, as i t now stands, the t e x t of A r t i c l e 2
i s so g e n e r a l l y anodyne t h a t i t
should not i n v o l v e
them i n s e r i o u s d i f f i c u l t i e s .
(The whole t e x t has
indeed become r a t h e r anodyne as the r e s u l t of
d r a f t s and r e d r a f t s by Four P o w e r s . )
numerous
Further,
as
the S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e has p o i n t e d out, i t may not be
disadvantageous to examine t h i s A r t i c l e with the o t h e r s .
We should be able to d e f i n e our own p o s i t i o n and i f
necessary s t i p u l a t e t h a t we could only act under the
A r t i c l e i n accordance with our own judgment a f t e r
a
case had a r i s e n .
7.
I t t h e r e f o r e comes t o t h i s , t h a t from the
aspect of pure e x t e r n a l p o l i t i c s t h e r e i s
t e n a b l e ground f o r
resistance i f
prepared to a c q u i e s c e .
little
a l l the o t h e r s are
On t h e o t h e r hand acceptance
of the r e f e r e n c e t o A r t i c l e 16 may lead to mis­
r e p r e s e n t a t i o n - however unreasonable - at home.
matter appears t o me to be i n i t s
of i n t e r n a l than e x t e r n a l
essence one rather
importance.
An immediate d e c i s i o n appears to be necessary
i n order t h a t i n s t r u c t i o n s may be sent to Geneva.
(Signed)
R
0
The
Vansittart,.
23rd May, 1933;
Telegram from the S e c r e t a r y of
f o r Foreign A f f a i r s .
State
May 23rd, 1933
0
IMMEDIATE.
F o l l o w i n g from S e c r e t a r y of
State:-
A l o i s ! sew me shout proposed Four Power Pact
t h i s evening.
Signor M u s s o l i n i i s most anxious t o
g e t an agreed document i n i t i a l l e d at Geneva w i t h i n
the next few days holding that i t would he a v a l u a b l e
proof
of European e f f o r t s
t o promote peace and c o ­
o p e r a t i o n and would improve the atmosphere both of
Disarmament Conference and Economic Conference.
initialling
If
took plo.ce t h i s week A l o i s i hinted t o me
p r i v a t e l y t h a t Signer M u s s o l i n i has i n mind the i d e a
of a, meeting l a t e r on at Home between heads or other
l e a d i n g r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of the f o u r
2.
states
0
I had before me d r a f t of May 20th s i m i l a r
t o t h a t sent t o London by a i r mail by S i r R, Grahanio
I g a t h e r t h a t there are only two p o i n t s of
outstandingo
difference
In A r t i c l e 3 the French would l i k e
the
phrase a l t e r e d t o run. " l e p r i n c i p e de 1 e g a l i t e \ des
1
droits tel
q u ' i l a. ete* reconnu par l a r e s o l u t i o n du
onzc decembre 1932 d o i t a v o i r une v a l e u r " .
I see no
o b j e c t i o n t o t h i s and suggested t o A l o i s i t h a t
Signor
Mussolini should moke i t h i s business t o persuade
Herr Goering to t h i s
3.
effect.
The other outstanding d i f f e r e n c e i s as to
the
trie mention of A r t i c l e 16 of the covenant i n
2,
Sir R
0
Article
Graham says that I t a l i a n s and Germans
hove withdrawn t h e i r o p p o s i t i o n t o t h i s r e f e r e n c e
the French s t r o n g l y advocate i t o
So that
while
opposition
i s now confined t o o u r s e l v e s , £ 0 you on r e f l e c t i o n
consider t h a t we should maintain t h i s
opposition?
With I t a l i a n and French a g r e e i n g I am doubtful
whether we should r e s i s t o
A f t e r a l l we have
signed
the Covenant and i t may not be a disadvantage to
examine A r t i c l e with t h r e e otherso
to d e f i n e our own p o s i t i o n and i f
We should be able
necessary
stipulate
that we could only a c t under A r t i c l e i n accordance
with our own judgment a f t e r the case had a r i s e n ,
4
0
I t w i l l be extremely d i f f i c u l t
f o r me to
c a r r y through these d r a f t i n g discussions t o agreement
without^assistanceo
Could Mr
tomorrow's t r a i n t o help me?
0
Sargent
come out by
I n t h e meantime I
think
Cabinet must be asked to decide the p o i n t about
mentioning A r t i c l e 16*
If
we g i v e way on t h i s ,
prompt agreement w i t h others seems c e r t a i n ^
On the
other hand i f .we h o l d out n e g o t i a t i o n s may break
down and we l o s e a l l the advantage of an immediate
successc
Cabinet w i l l be the best judge of
of the matter by having
importance
continuous t e x t b e f o r e i t
English with a Very b r i e f
introduction,,
in
PROPOSED FOUR POWER AGREEMENT.
FINAL ITALIAN DRAFT TEXT OF MAY 3QTH.
PREAMBLE.
Germany. France. Great B r i t a i n .
Italy,
conscious of the special responsib111ties incum­
bent on them in their capacities as permanent members
of the Council of the League of Nations, where the
League i t s e l f and i t s members are concerned, and of
the r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s r e s u l t i n g from t h e i r common
signature of the Locarno Agreements;
convinced that the state of d i s q u i e t which obtains
throughout the world can only be dissipated by a r e ­
inforcement of their s o l i d a r i t y , capable of affirming
in Europe confidence in peace;
faithful
to the engagements which they have entered
into i n v i r t u e of the Covenant of the League of Nations,
the Locarno T r e a t i e s , and the Brland-Kellogg P a c t , and
r e f e r r i n g to the Declaration of the renunciation of force,
the p r i n c i p l e of which was adopted on March 2nd l a s t by
the P o l i t i c a l Commission of the Disarmament Conference;
anxious to give f u l l
effectiveness
to a l l
the
provisions of the Covenant, while conforming to the
methods and procedures l a i d down therein, from which
they have no Intention of
derogating;
respectful: t o the r i g h t s of every State, which
cannot be disposed of in the absence of the interested
party;
have agreed on the following p r o v i s i o n s : ­
ARTICLE I .
The High Contracting P a r t i e s w i l l
regards a l l
c o n c e r t as
questions which concern them.
undertake t o make every e f f o r t
to p r a c t i c e ,
They
within
the framework of the League of N a t i o n s , a p o l i c y
of e f f e c t i v e
c o l l a b o r a t i o n amongst a l l
the Powers
w i t h a- view t o the maintenance of peace and the
r e s t o r a t i o n of European economy.
ARTICLE I I ,
The High Contracting P a r t i e s , with a view t o the
u l t i m a t e a p p l i c a t i o n in Europe, of t h e a r t i c l e s
x
t h e Covenant, and n o t a b l y of a r t i c l e s 10
of which t h e f i r s t
of
and 19,
concerns the undertaking t o
p r e s e r v e a g a i n s t any e x t e r n a l aggression the t e r r i ­
torial
i n t e g r i t y and e x i s t i n g p o l i t i c a l
independence
of a l l members of the League, and of which the second
contemplates the p o s s i b i l i t y of a f r e s h
examination
of t r e a t i e s which have become i n a p p l i c a b l e and of
i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o n d i t i o n s whose continuance might
endanger the peace of t h e world, d e c i d e t o examine
between themselves and under r e s e r v e of
decisions
which can only be taken by the r e g u l a r organs o f the
League of N a t i o n s , a l l proposals r e l a t i v e t o the
methods and procedures c a l c u l a t e d t o g i v e f u l l
t o these
x
effect
articles.
I t i s here that the French Government d e s i r e t o
. i n s e r t the r e f e r e n c e t o a r t i c l e 16 of the Covenant,
The ltalian.-.and German Governments have acquiesced
in t h i s addition.
ARTICLE I I I .
The High Contracting P a r t i e s r e c o g n i s e that t h e
maintenance of peace demands the reduction of
national
armaments t o the minimum compatible with the n a t i o n a l
s e c u r i t y , the g e o g r a p h i c a l
s i t u a t i o n and the
special
c o n d i t i o n s of each s t a t e , and t h a t the success of the
Disarmament Conference r e p r e s e n t s the best means of
securing t h i s end.
They r e - s t a t e t h e i r d e s i r e t o c o ­
operate with the other Powers represented at that
Conference in order t o e l a b o r a t e as r a p i d l y as p o s s i b l e
a convention ensuring a s u b s t a n t i a l r e d u c t i o n and a
l i m i t a t i o n of armaments with f u r t h e r p r o v i s i o n s with a
view t o f r e s h r e d u c t i o n s .
Prance, Great B r i t a i n and I t a l y d e c l a r e that the
p r i n c i p l e of e q u a l i t y of r i g h t s r e c o g n i s e d by the
in' a"" sy stem p r o v i ding
r e s o l u t i o n of December 11th 1952 must have a
s e c u r i t y f or a l l natrons
J
p r a c t i c a l value f o r Germany and the other
disarmed by t r e a t i e s .
and Germany w i l l
I t a l y , Prance, Great B r i t a i n
concert as regards the means
( m o d a l i t e s ) t o be a p p l i e d t o r e a l i s e t h i s
by s t a g e s .
states
principle
The present agreement i s concluded f o r a
p e r i o d o f t e n y e a r s counting from the exchange o f
ratifications,
If
b e f o r e the end of the eighth
year none o f the High Contracting P a r t i e s
shall
have n o t i f i e d i t s i n t e n t i o n t o terminate i t to the
o t h e r s i t w i l l he considered as renewed and w i l l
remain in f o r c e i n d e f i n i t e l y the C o n t r a c t i n g P a r t i e s
r e t a i n i n g the power t o terminate i t by denunciation
on g i v i n g two y e a r s ' n o t i c e
a
The present Agreement s h a l l he r a t i f i e d and
the r a t i f i c a t i o n s
exchanged as soon as p o s s i b l e .
I t s h a l l be r e g i s t e r e d at the S e c r e t a r i a t o f
the
League o f Nations i n accordance w i t h the p r o v i s i o n s
o f the Covenant.