File No. 893.00/1078.
The Ambassador of Russia to the Acting Secretary of State.
Washington, D. C., February 17, 1912.
Mr. Acting Secretary of State: By order of the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs I have the honor to transmit herein below to you, in reply to the communication Mr. Knox was pleased to send me on February 8, the following statement of the Imperial Government’s views of the situation in China:
Since the beginning of the present crisis in China the Imperial Government has observed an attitude of strict neutrality toward the two parties contending for power in that country. The two parties having thus far respected the interests of foreigners, the Imperial Government perceives no reason for departing from that attitude.
If, however, the common interests of foreigners should be affected by the struggle, the Imperial Government would see no objection to an exchange of views with the other powers concerning the measures to be taken for the protection of the said interests. The Imperial Government concurs with the Federal Government in the opinion that it would be expedient for the powers to agree among themselves not to extend any support to their subjects who should have any intention of supplying with funds the imperialist party or the party that favors the republic in China.
The Imperial Government, however, deems it proper to state that no Russian subject has as yet attempted to float a loan in behalf of either of the two parties above mentioned.
I avail, etc.,