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Soviet Proposals to Britain and France for Joint Action against Aggression 18. April, 1939

Soviet Proposals to Britain and France for Joint Action against Aggression 18. April, 1939

Subsequent to English inquiry regarding consent of USSR to render assistance to … (*) on its borders against aggressors, Soviet Government also received a French proposal on lines of bilateral obligations regarding mutual assistance against aggressors. As we regard this proposal as an acceptable one in principle and wish to extent M.Bonnet's idea, and as we are also desirous of placing relations between the three States on a solid foundation, we are endeavouring to combine English and French proposals in the form of following propositions which we submit for consideration of British Government:

1. England, France and USSR to conclude with one another an agreement for a period of five to ten years by which they would oblige themselves to render mutually forthwith all manner of assistance, including that of a military nature, in case of aggression in Europe against any one of the contracting Powers.

2. England, France and USSR to undertake to render all matter of assistance, including that of military nature, to Eastern European States situated between Baltic and Black Seas and bordering on USSR, in case of aggression against these States.

3. England, France and USSR to undertake to discuss and to settle within the shortest period of time extent and forms of military assistance to be rendered by each of these states in fulfilment of paragraphs 1 and 2.

4. English Government to explain that assistance recently promised to Poland concerns exclusively aggression on the part of Germany.

5. The treaty alliance which exists between Poland and Rumania is to be declared operative in case of aggression of any nature against Poland and Rumania, or else to be revoked altogether as one directed against USSR.

6. England, France and USSR to undertake following outbreak of hostilities not to enter into negotiations of any kind whatsoever and not to conclude peace with aggressors separately from one another and without common consent of the three Powers.

7. An agreement on above lines to be signed simultaneously with terms of convention which has been described above under paragraph 3.

8. The necessity is recognised for England, France (? and USSR*) to enter into joint negotiations with Turkey having in view conclusion of a special agreement on mutual assistance.

(*) The text is here uncertain.

Source:
Documents on British Foreign Policy, 1919-1939 Third Series, v.p.228, cité p.226 par Janis RITENIS, Diplomatiska cina par Latvijas Republikas suverenitates atjaunosanau (Lutte diplomatique pour la restauration de la souveraineté de la République de Lettonie), Fonds Latvijas Vesture, Riga 1999, p.247