793.94/3156: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Shaw) to the
Secretary of State
Paris,
December 10, 1931—10 [11?] p.m.[Received December
10—9:48 p.m.
73]
875. From Ambassador Dawes. In accepting resolution at this afternoon’s
meeting Sze made following observations and reservations:
- “1. China reserves all rights to which it is entitled
under the provisions of the Covenant, under existing
treaties to which China is a party and under the accepted
principles of international law.
- 2. The present arrangement evidenced by the resolution and
the statement made by the President is regarded by China as
a practical measure embodying four essential and
interdependent elements:
- (a)
- Immediate cessation of hostilities.
- (b)
- Liquidation on [of?] the
Japanese occupation of Manchuria within the shortest
possible time.
- (c)
- Neutral observation and reporting upon all
developments from now on.
- (d)
- A comprehensive inquiry into the entire Manchurian
situation on the spot by a commission appointed by
the Council.
- The failure of any one of the stipulations of the
agreement to materialize would mean the failure of the whole
agreement.
- 3. China expects that the commission will make its first
duty to inquire into and report with its recommendations on
the withdrawal of the Japanese forces if such withdrawal has
not been completed when the commission arrives on the
ground.
- 4. China assumes that the said arrangement neither
directly nor by implication affects the question of
reparations due to China as a result of events in
Manchuria.
- 5. China considers that the injunction to the parties not
to aggravate the situation should not be violated under the
pretext of the existence of lawlessness caused by the state
of affairs in Manchuria.
- The only sure way of restoring peace in Manchuria is to
hasten the withdrawal of Japanese troops. China cannot
tolerate the occupation of her territory by foreign troops;
far less can she permit these troops to usurp the police
functions of the Chinese authorities.
- 6. China will from time to time, as occasion requires,
indicate the localities to which it seems desirable to
despatch neutral observers.
- 7. It should be understood that in agreeing to this
resolution, China in no way recedes from the position she
has always taken with respect to the maintenance of military
forces in the railway zone.
- 8. Chinese Government would regard any attempt by Japan to
bring about complications of a political character affecting
China’s territorial or administrative integrity as an
obvious violation of the undertaking to avoid any further
aggravation of the situation.”
