711.672/170

The Turkish Plenipotentiary (Ismet) to the American Plenipotentiary (Grew)18

[Translation]

Mr. Minister: I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that as a result of the discussions of the Convention of “establishment” signed at Lausanne on July 24, 1923,19 it had been planned at one time to annex to the aforesaid Convention, in the form of a declaration, [Page 1142] certain provisions concerning the religious and philanthropic institutions of the nationality of the three inviting Powers.

However, it was finally decided that this declaration should be replaced by letters from the Turkish Delegation addressed to the three inviting Powers.

In transmitting to Your Excellency identic copies of these letters, I have the honor to inform you that during the duration of the Convention of “establishment” in question, similar institutions of the nationality of the United States of America shall enjoy in Turkey, under the same conditions, the same treatment as that applied to the institutions of the Powers referred to above.

Accept [etc.]

Ismet
[Enclosure—Translation]

Identic Letter from the Chief of the Turkish Delegation at the Lausanne Conference (Ismet) to the Chiefs of the Allied Delegations (Rumbold, Pellé, Montagna)

Excellency: With reference to the Convention regarding the conditions of residence and business signed at Lausanne today, and following on the decision taken by the First Committee at its meeting of the 19th May, 1923, regarding the substitution of the declaration, which was to have been annexed to the said Convention, by an exchange of letters, I have the honour to declare, in the name of my Government, that the latter will recognize the existence of (British, French, Italian) religious, scholastic and medical establishments, as well as of charitable institutions recognised as existing in Turkey before the 30th October, 1914, and that it will favourably examine the case of other similar (British, French, Italian) institutions actually existing in Turkey at the date of the Treaty of Peace signed today, with a view to regularise their position.

The establishments and institutions mentioned above will, as regards fiscal charges of every kind, be treated on a footing of equality with similar Turkish establishments and institutions, and will be subject to the administrative arrangements of a public character, as well as to the laws and regulations, governing the latter. It is, however, understood that the Turkish Government will take into account the conditions under which these establishments carry on their work, and, in so far as schools are concerned, the practical organisation of their teaching arrangements.

I avail [etc.]

M. Ismet
  1. Transmitted with despatch no. 56–A, Aug. 7, from the Special Mission at Lausanne.
  2. Great Britain, Cmd. 1929, Treaty Series No. 16 (1923), p. 139.