With reference to our telephone conversation concerning a meeting which is to take place between the British Foreign Secretary and the High Commissioners in London, I am directed by the Minister to send you herewith the text of a statement which you might make at the meeting if you should be asked to give the views of the Government of Saorstát Éireann on the Laval-Hoare peace proposals for a settlement of the Italo-Abyssinian conflict.

DRAFT STATEMENT FOR HIGH COMMISSIONER

My Government have not had an opportunity of fully examining the situation in which Sir Samuel Hoare found himself at his conversations with M. Laval in Paris on December 7th, or the reasons which induced him to agree to the peace proposals. On the information before them, however, the Government feel that peace on the terms suggested will be regarded by the peoples of all countries as a failure of the League of Nations. They quite understand why Sir Samuel Hoare should be slow to advocate a policy which might involve the people of Great Britain in an armed conflict with Italy. They feel also that most countries would not be prepared - certainly not at the moment - to take military sanctions against Italy. Consequently they appreciate that Sir Samuel Hoare had to act with great care as, in the event of the situation developing so as to call for naval or military action, the Powers immediately concerned in such action would be Great Britain and France.