741.61/791: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 27—3:50 p.m.]
1077. Embassy’s 1022, July 19, 5 p.m., paragraph 1. The British negotiators at Moscow were instructed on July 20 to state that the British Government would agree to simultaneous entry into force of the political and military agreements but must insist on preserving at least the substance of the British formula on indirect aggression (Embassy’s 954, July 8, 4 p.m., paragraph 1), adding if essential a provision for consultation if a case of aggression should [Page 289] arise not covered by the British definition; and would be prepared as a last resort to agree, pending discussion of the article in the agreement on indirect aggression, to immediate military conversations at whatever place might be agreed to.
According to the Foreign Office Molotov, having secured acceptance by the British and the French of his demand for simultaneous entry into force of the political and military agreements, refused on July 23 to discuss indirect aggression. He treated outstanding political points as details which would be settled during military discussions whose commencement immediately he concentrated upon as the main necessity for impressing aggressive powers. Nor would he commit himself to accept as a basis for definition of indirect aggression the two British principles that the state in question must (a) be acting under threat of force and (b) that its acting must involve abandonment of its independence and neutrality. In view of their instructions, the British and French Ambassadors were therefore compelled to state that they must inquire of their Governments whether they would be prepared to initiate military conversations immediately in Moscow while leaving the outstanding political points to be discussed in connection with the military conversations.
Instructions have now been sent to the British Ambassador at Moscow agreeing to immediate initiation of military conversations on the understanding that discussions in regard to indirect aggression, to which the British Government attaches capital importance, be resumed at once.
According to the Foreign Office a further instruction to Moscow is now under preparation, designed to reemphasize their insistence on the British formula. A Foreign Office official stated that they will not accept Molotov’s definition of indirect aggression, nor are they disposed to offer another formula themselves.