§ Mr. LANSBURY(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any further statement to make on the situation in Shanghai, and whether he will now give officially the text of the note sent by the Powers to the Japanese Government and their official reply?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir John Simon)I have no information of any change in the situation at Shanghai since yesterday. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT the text of the proposals made to the Japanese Government by the Governments of France, Italy, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom on the 2nd of February and of their reply.
§ Following is the text referred to:
§ Proposals communicated to the Japanese and Chinese Governments on the 2nd of February.
- 1. Cessation of all acts of violence on both sides forthwith on the following terms.
- 2. No further mobilisation or preparation whatever for further hostilities.
- 3. Withdrawal of both Japanese and Chinese combatants from all points of mutual contact in the Shanghai area.
- 4. Protection of the International Settlement by the establishment of neutral zones to divide the combatants. Those zones to he policed by neutrals; the arrangements to be set up by the consular authorities.
- 5. Upon acceptance of these conditions prompt advances to be made in negotiation to settle all outstanding controversies between the two nations in the spirit of the Pact of Paris, and the resolution of the League of the 10th December without prior demand or reservations and with the aid of neutral observers or participants.
§ Reply (dated 4th February) of Japanese Government to the five proposals above.
- (1) Japanese forces will cease hostile acts it it is assured that the Chinese would cease
1470 immediately and completely their menacing and disturbing activities. If on the contrary either regular or plain clothes soldiers persist in such activities, the Japanese Government must reserve full freedom of action for its military forces. - (2) In view of the unreliability of the Chinese in the past and of the gravity of the present situation the Japanese Government finds it impossible to renounce mobilisation and preparation for hostilities.
- (3) The Japanese Government have no objection to their Consuls and Commanders entering into negotiations for an agreement concerning the separation of the respective forces and the establishment, if necessary, of a neutral zone in the neighbourhood of Chapei.
- (4) While it is to be presumed that all outstanding controversies between Japan and China include the Manchurian question, the Japanese Government regard this matter as an entirely separate question from the Shanghai affair, and, moreover, it is covered by the resolution of the 10th December. Furthermore, it is the settled policy of the Japanese Government not to accept the assistance of neutral observers or participants in settlement of questions concerning Manchuria. For these reasons the condition in paragraph 5 of the Powers' note is not acceptable to the Japanese Government.