-3- ready to assist Romania if she were the object of German aggression. The question of assistance was however dependent on common Franco-British resistance and the French Government was therefore ready to collaborate with His Majesty's Government in an examination of concerted action. His Majesty's Minister at Paris was assured verbally that France would go to Romania's assistance irrespective of Polish, Yugoslav and Soviet replies. The above views represent the reactions to our first enquiries based on the Romanian Minister's disquieting information regarding German-Romanian economic negotiations as described in the opening paragraphs of Lord Halifax's message of March 21st. No final replies have yet been received to the later proposal (summarized in paragraphs 6 to 12 of Lord Halifax's message of March 21st) which relates not only to aggression against Romania but to any action threatening independence of any European state. BRITISH EMBASSY, WASHINGTON, D.C. March 23rd, 1939. |