Mr. Snowden to Mr.
Blaine.
Legation of
the United States,
Athens, February 14, 1890.
(Received March 4.)
No. 28.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose a protocol of
conference held at Athens on the 10th day of February, 1890, between His
Excellency Stephen Dragoumis, minister of foreign affairs for the Hellenic
Government, and the minister of the United States of America. In this
conference and declaration it was reciprocally understood and agreed that
ioint stock companies and other associations—commercial, industrial, and
financial—constituted in conformity with the laws in force in Greece and the
United States, may exercise in the territory of the other the rights and
privileges of subjects and citizens of the two countries under article i of the treaty of commerce and navigation
concluded between the two Governments in London on the 10th day of December,
1837, including the right of appearing before tribunals for the purpose of
bringing an action or of defending themselves, with the sole condition that
in exercising these rights they conform to the laws of Greece and of the
United States and the several States.
[Page 510]
In this mutual agreement and declaration as to the construction to be placed
upon the first article of the treaty of 1837 as to joint stock companies, I
believe all that was desired by our Government has been accomplished, and I
trust that the action taken may meet the approval of the Department.
As several corporations and many citizens from all parts of the United States
have expressed to this legation a desire to avail themselves of the
privileges granted or conferred by this agreement, I would respectfully
submit that the result reached have wide circulation through the Associated
Press, as the best means of communicating the information to those
interested.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 28.]
protocol explanatory of the scope and effect of
article 1 of the treaty between the united
states of america and greece of december 10–22, 1837.
Protocol of a conference held at
Athens on the 30th/10th day of
January/February 1890 between the Honorable A. Loudon
Snowden, Minister Resident of the United States of America and His
Excellency Stephen Dragoumis, Minister for Foreign Affairs of His
Majesty the King of the Hellenes.
In view of the desire of the Government of the United States and of that
of His Hellenic Majesty to effect a reciprocal understanding in regard
to the rights and remedies of associations organized under the laws of
one of the countries in the territories of the other, the minister of
the United States declares that joint stock companies and other
associations—commercial, industrial, and financial—constituted in
conformity with the laws in force in Greece may exercise in the United
States the rights and privileges of subjects of Greece under article i of the treaty of commerce and navigation
between the Government of the United States and that of His Hellenic
Majesty, concluded in London on the 10th–22d of December 1837, including
the right of appearing before tribunals for the purpose of bringing an
action or of defending themselves, with the sole condition that in
exercising these rights they always conform to the laws and customs
existing in the United States and the several States.
The Hellenic minister for foreign affairs declares on his part,
reciprocally, that similar rights and privileges shall be enjoyed by
corporations of the United States in Greece, whether now or heretofore
organized, or to be created in the future, provided they likewise
conform to the laws and customs of Greece.
In testimony of which we have
interchangeably signed this protocol at
Athens on 30th/10th of
January/February, 1890.
A. Loudon Snowden.
[
Seal.]
E.
Dragoumis
. [
Seal.]
[Appendix]
Article I of the Treaty of 1837.
The citizens and subjects of each of the two High Contracting Parties
may, with all security for their persons, vessels, and cargoes, freely
enter the ports, places, and rivers of the territories of the other,
wherever foreign commerce is permitted. They shall be at liberty to
sojourn and reside in all parts whatsoever of said territories; to rent
and occupy houses and warehouses for their commerce, and they shall
enjoy, generally, the most entire security and protection in their
mercantile transactions, on conditions of their submitting to the laws
and ordinances of the respective countries.
