File No. 15101/3–4.
The general boundary agreed upon in the treaty is that formed by the
watershed separating the drainage basin of the Amazon on the south from
the region to the north in which the rivers that empty into the Atlantic
have their source. The task of making the final surveys for the exact
boundary line is to be intrusted to commissioners who will at some
future time be appointed by the Governments.
It is interesting to note that the two parties bind themselves to submit
to the permanent court of arbitration at The Hague all questions as to
the application or interpretation of the provisions of the treaty on
which no agreement can be reached. Should other causes of conflict
develop, the treaty provides that a special agreement shall be entered
into for the arbitration of the matter.
This portion of the Brazilian frontier, previous to the present
convention, was the only region that had not been the subject of a
boundary treaty. With its promulgation, the entire national boundary of
Brazil has been provided for through international agreements. Where the
final line of demarcation has not already been run, commissioners are at
work on the survey or are to begin their labors.
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
Presidential decree No. 7133 of September 24,
1908, promulgating a treaty fixing the boundary between Brazil
and Surinam.
The President of the Republic of the United States of Brazil:
Whereas the resolution of the National Congress of the 22nd of June,
1907, approving the treaty concluded in this capital on May 5, 1906,
by the plenipotentiaries of the United States of Brazil and the
Netherlands, establishing the boundary between Brazil and the colony
of Surinam, has been sanctioned by decree No. 1659, of June 25 of
the past year; and whereas the respective ratifications have been
exchanged in the city of The Hague on the 15th of the current
month:
Decrees that said treaty shall be executed and carried out in every
part of its provisions.
Rio de Janeiro, September 24, 1908; 20th of the Republic.
Affonso Augusto Moreira
Penna.
Rio-Branco.
treaty.
The President of the United States of Brazil and Her Majesty the
Queen of the Netherlands, led by the wish of drawing tighter the
bonds of friendship which happily exist between the two nations and
to avoid conflicts which may arise if the frontier between Brazil
and the colony of Surinam was not determined by convention, have
resolved to conclude a treaty and to this end have appointed their
plenipotentiaries, that is to say:
- The President of the United States of Brazil, Senor José
Maria da Silva Paranhos do Rio-Branco, minister of state for
foreign affairs; and
- Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands, M. Frederic
Palm, minister of the Netherlands in Brazil;
Who, having exchanged their full powers, found in good and due form,
have agreed upon the following articles:
Article I.
The boundary between the United States of Brazil and the colony of
Surinam is formed, starting from the French boundary towards the
British boundary, by the watershed separating the Amazon basin, in
the south, from the basin of water courses, that, running to the
north, empty into the Atlantic Ocean.
Article II.
As soon as they deem it convenient, the two Governments will name
commissioners to mark the boundary.
Article III.
The high contracting parties bind themselves to submit to the
permanent court of arbitration at The Hague disagreements that may
arise regarding the application or interpretation of the present
convention.
In each particular case, the high contracting parties will sign a
special agreement precisely determining the object of the
litigation, the extent of the powers [Page 56] of the arbiter or of the arbiter tribunal, the
mode of the designation of this, as well as the rules to be observed
regarding the formalities and delays of procedure.
Article IV.
The present treaty, after the fulfilment of the constitutional
formalities in the two countries, will be ratified and the
ratifications will be exchanged at Rio de Janeiro or at The Hague
with the shortest possible delay.
Made in duplicate, at Rio de
Janeiro, the fifth day of May, nineteen hundred and
six.
[
l. s.]
Rio-Branco.
[
l. s.]
F. Palm.
