857h.01/21½
Memorandum by the Secretary of State of a Conversation with the French Ambassador (Jusserand), June 21, 1924
The Ambassador said that he had been instructed to suggest a project of a protocol relating to the adhesion of Russia to the Spitzbergen Treaty. This protocol was to the effect that notwithstanding the stipulation of Article X of the Treaty Russia should be allowed to give her adhesion even though all the high contracting parties had not recognized the Russian Government. The Ambassador left with the Secretary a copy of this proposal.4
The Ambassador also left a memorandum giving a proposal of Mr. MacDonald. The memorandum is as follows:
“Mr. Ramsay MacDonald has proposed, and we agree that, in the protocol concerning Spitzbergen, wherever the word “Russie” appears, it be replaced by the expression: “Union des Républiques sovietiques socialistes”.
The Secretary said that he did not care to comment on the matter at present; that it seemed to us that this question had been dealt with by Article X of the Spitzbergen Treaty and that this Government could not amend that Article without the consent of the Senate. The Secretary said that he would consider the question whether the suggestion of the French Government amounted to an amendment of the Article.
- Not printed.↩