793.94 Conference/90: Telegram
The Ambassador in Belgium (Gibson) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 22—5:44 p.m.]
99. Minister for Foreign Affairs26 this afternoon stated that the Belgian Government felt it would be wiser for several reasons to defer the opening session of the Nine Power Conference until Wednesday, November 3. He stressed the idea that he was making a suggestion and not a formal proposal. The reasons for this he gave as follows:
- 1.
- That the 30th is a Saturday, that Monday and Tuesday are full holidays in this country being All Saints and All Souls Day, and that it would therefore be necessary in any case to adjourn the first meeting to Wednesday.
- 2.
- That he had not hitherto raised the question because he had felt that the first meeting could have been profitably utilized to express invitations to Germany and Soviet Russia but that in view of the proposal of the British Government which had already been supported by five countries this problem would presumably be out of the way and he could see no further purpose in a meeting on the 30th.
- 3.
- While he felt that Japanese acceptance was extremely doubtful even a slight adjournment might prove useful to conciliate the Japanese and might influence their ultimate decision.
- 4.
- Mr. Spaak’s Chief of Cabinet27 informed me later that while the Minister had hesitated to mention the matter he was genuinely concerned lest the Government be in midst of a Cabinet crisis on the [Page 107] 30th and that it would obviously be awkward if the Conference were to be convened at a time when there was no government; that, of course, there was no guaranty that the crisis would be over by then but the chances were naturally better as it was felt that the convening of the Conference might have a salutary effect in expediting the liquidation of the crisis.
Mr. Spaak went on to state that he was somewhat troubled at the prospect of opening a conference in Brussels a week from tomorrow without any intimation as to its agenda or terms of reference. He said that he had requested guidance from London and Washington but had as yet received no reply and was again despatching to London Baron Jules Guillaume, Belgian Ambassador to China now here on leave, in the hope of eliciting from the Foreign Office information which would enable him to make useful preparations for the Conference. I interpreted his remark as an intimation that he would greatly appreciate an expression of how we envisage the work of the Conference. He went on to say that obviously the whole setup of the Conference would be materially affected by the nature of the Japanese reply.
Mr. Spaak said that it had occurred to him that Davis might like to avail himself of the margin of time afforded by a postponement to visit London and Paris before arriving in Brussels. If the Department concurs in the idea of postponement I should be glad to know of any change in Davis’ plans as I should like to make certain obvious plans here on his arrival.
It would also be useful to know whether in the event that Davis visits London and Paris the remainder of the delegation would delay their arrival until a later date.