File No. 774/766.
Ambassador Kerens
to the Secretary of State.
American Embassy,
Vienna, July 6,
1910.
No. 50.]
Sir: Referring to my dispatch No. 36, of the
17th ultimo,1 relative to
participation of the Austro-Hungarian Government in the Second
International Opium Conference to be held at The Hague, I have now the
honor to transmit herewith a copy and a translation of a personal note
to me from Count Aehrenthal, minister for foreign affairs, dated the 4th
instant, from which it appears that the Austro-Hungarian Government has
decided finally not to participate in the said conference. I also
transmit a copy and a translation of the memorandum accompanying the
minister’s aforesaid note, giving the reasons for the nonparticipation
of his Government, but stating that it would follow with much interest
the deliberations of the conference.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure
1—Translation.]
The Minister for Foreign
Affairs to Ambassador Kerens.
Ministry of the Exterior,
Vienna, July 4,
1910.
Your excellency had the kindness a few days ago to again refer to the
matter of the Imperial and Royal Austrian and the Royal Hungarian
Government accepting the invitation to attend the Second
International Opium Conference.
I have not failed to inform myself, according to the wish expressed
by your excellency, why both Governments refused to participate in
this conference, and I have the honor to transmit to your excellency
the inclosed memorandum in the matter.
Your excellency will accept, etc.,
[Page 308]
[Inclosure
2—Translation.]
memorandum.
Imperial and Royal Ministry for Foreign
Affairs,
Vienna, June, 30,
1910.
The Imperial and Royal Austrian and the Royal Hungarian Government
participated in the opium conference at Shanghai last year, as they
wished to be presem at the first conference, where the regulation of
the opium traffic would be a subject of discussion and to inform
themselves of the feelings of foreign States on this subject.
The monarchy had no practical interest in the questions discussed at
the conference, both as the amount imported in the monarchy is very
small (1,500 to 2,000 kilos of opium and about 1,000 kilos of
derivatives therefrom) and as such importation is only for medicinal
purposes and takes place directly between the dealers abroad and the
home medicinal institutions.
As opium can only be procured by means of a physician’s prescription,
there is no possibility of opium being trafficked in the
monarchy.
Neither of the Governments, therefore, will be present at the second
opium conference, but will follow its deliberations with much
interest.