If it has been decided to adhere to the directives which will lead to an unquestionable disruption of the [Genoa] conference, [then] it is better not to leave [for Genoa] at all and to announce immediately that we do not accept the Cannes Resolution, thereby disrupting the conference. To leave in corpore and denounce everything there and then go back would mean to make a recurrence of this [gathering] impossible for a long time to come.

France is issuing an ultimatum, demanding the acceptance of the Cannes Resolution by all participants, prior to any debates. We are saying neither yes nor no for now. When the Genoa Conference opens we will be faced with this ultimatum. The Central Committee anyway passed a directive “in no event” to go further (this is reminiscent of the famous jamais)—Lloyd George by that time will undoubtedly be bound by an agreement about this with France, and anyway, this was always essentially the demand of England as well. We will be up against a wall, and Lloyd George will be unable to make a concession to us. His brainchild—the conference—will turn into a scandal: we come and immediately leave. This will be a resounding slap in the face to Lloyd George. After such a vivid, dramatic, instant break-off, of course, a loan will not be possible, economic prospects will be ruined for a long time to come, a furious onslaught of intervention will erupt—grandiose raids by French airplanes on Moscow from Poland and on Petrograd from Finland, and so on.

If we announce now that we do not accept the [Cannes] Resolution, there will be no conference, there will be no dramatic rupture and scandal, there will be no trip [undertaken] with the deliberate intention of immediately and demonstratively departing. We will be refused a large loan, but Lloyd George will not be bound yet, and further economic ties with England within the current framework will be possible.

Personally, I am against this policy. Not only France but England will not accept a comprehensive peace and [offer] large loans without a complete acknowledgment of all debts. At issue is only nationalized property—here debate would still be possible if it were not for the ultimatum. I am speaking on the basis of the whole course of previous negotiations with England. I propose: 1) under the influence of their ultimatum at the conference, to accept the Cannes Resolution; 2) in complete accord with it, to put forth counterclaims that will cover everything (that is possible), but in the further course of the negotiations, if necessary, to purchase a large loan by lowering our counterclaims, and if there is no loan without that, to reduce our counterclaims even lower than their claims, haggling about the difference and “converting” it into a new loan for us.

Incidentally, the radio station of the American Vigand

Reference unclear.

from Berlin reported that Radek had announced in Die Rote Fahne that if we are given thirty billion gold marks and recognition de jure, we will adhere to the Versailles treaty and acknowledge all our debts … (!!)