File No. 714.1515/38
As the National Assembly of Honduras will open its ordinary session in
January and the one of Guatemala in March, if your excellency would be
good enough to recommend, as requested by me in my note, that the
protocol be made effective as soon as possible, an important step will
undoubtedly have been carried out to maintain the friendly relations
between the two countries.
Thanking your excellency beforehand for anything that your excellency may
kindly do in the matter, I avail [etc.]
[Inclosure—Translation]
preliminary arrangement
The Governments of Guatemala and Honduras, desirous of making an end
of the boundary disputes between their respective countries by means
of an equitable and just arrangement, satisfactory to both parties
and such as will remove any ground of divergence that might disturb
the fraternal relations which must exist between them, have
authorized their representatives, to wit:
[Page 785]
The Government of Guatemala, the most excellent Señor don Víctor
Sánchez Ocaña, its present Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary near the Government of this Republic, and the
Government of Honduras, Señor Doctor don Mariano Vásquez, its
present Minister of Foreign Relations, to sign the following
arrangement:
I
The Governments of Guatemala and Honduras, with the above-indicated
purpose will sign a diplomatic agreement subject to ratification by
their respective Legislatures, in which, on the basis of authentic
documents establishing the territorial rights of the one and the
other party, the proven antecedents, the system of compensations and
as far as practicable the adoption of natural boundaries, a final
end be made of the boundary dispute and as a consequence the marking
of the dividing line between the two countries be provided, the
stones or monuments that are to mark the dividing line being erected
after approval of the treaty by a joint commission of two engineers
appointed by each party.
II
In order to bring about the convention and settlement that are
sought, in concluding the treaty, hearings may be given to the
commission of engineers of each one of the contracting Governments
composed of the chief engineer of each commission, the assistant
engineer and a counsel, it being understood that the aforesaid
persons will fill every requirement of technical and historical
competence, honorability and impartiality.
III
The meeting of the Plenipotentiaries who will draw up the
contemplated treaty will take place in this capital before the last
day of December next or on such other date as may be agreed upon by
the two Governments of Guatemala and Honduras.
IV
Pending the signature and ratification of the contemplated treaty,
the Governments of Guatemala and Honduras will endeavor to shun any
cause of dispute between them on account of their territorial bounds
and will maintain through their lower authorities the respect of
their respective jurisdiction.
V
It is understood that for any reason whatsoever the contemplated
treaty should not be concluded or ratified by the respective
Legislatures of Guatemala and Honduras, the Boundary Convention
signed by the two Republics on August 1, 1914, will continue in full
force and effect.
In faith whereof they sign the present preliminary arrangement in
duplicate at Tegucigalpa, this 20th day of September 1917 and affix
their respective seals thereto.
-
Víctor Sánchez O.
-
Mariano Vasquez
