852.00/3119: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Bingham) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 11—2:15 p.m.]
430. A high official of the Foreign Office this afternoon in commenting on the meeting in London of the International Committee for the application of the agreement regarding non-intervention in Spain, said that the non-participation of Portugal was due, in the British opinion, to misunderstanding on the part of the Portuguese Government as to the scope of the Committee, and that Portugal being at the moment in a very precarious situation, both from the Spanish side and from internal difficulties, was disposed to be apprehensive and cautious. The British and French Governments, he said, are now making special efforts at Lisbon to overcome the Portuguese objections. The Committee, which has had only one sitting, under the chairmanship of Mr. W. S. Morrison, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, is scheduled to meet again on Monday. Its object, according to the Foreign Office is to make a collation of the measures which have actually been taken individually by the countries represented to give effect to the agreement for non-intervention68 and subsequently as may be practicable to consider and make recommendations on suggestions which may be made during the course of the meeting by any interested power. The Committee is now composed of the diplomatic representatives in London of 26 European powers. The action of the Committee, according to the Foreign Office spokesman, could not go beyond the scope of the instructions of the individual delegates, which should completely meet Portuguese objections.
- For collation of legislative and other measures, see British Cmd. 5300, Spain No. 2 (1936); International Committee for the Application of the Agreement Regarding Non-Intervention in Spain … Report by Mr. Francis Hemming, C. B. E., Secretary to the Committee … November 1936.↩