611.1431/33
The Guatemalan Minister (Latour) to the Acting Secretary of State
Excellency: I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency’s esteemed note of the 14th. day of August, 1924, containing a statement of Your Excellency’s understanding of the agreement reached through recent conversations held at Washington by representatives of the Government of the United States and the Government of Guatemala with reference to the treatment which the United States shall accord to the commerce of Guatemala and which Guatemala shall accord to the commerce of the United States.
These conversations have disclosed a mutual understanding between the two Governments which is that, in respect to import, export and other duties and charges affecting commerce, as well as in respect to transit, warehousing and other facilities, the United States will accord to Guatemala and Guatemala will accord to the United States its territories and possessions unconditional most-favored-nation treatment.
[Page 292]It is understood that
No higher or other duties shall be imposed on the importation into or disposition in the United States, its territories or possessions of any articles the produce or manufacture of Guatemala than are or shall be payable on like articles the produce or manufacture of any foreign country:
No higher or other duties shall be imposed on the importation into or disposition in Guatemala of any articles the produce or manufacture of the United States, its territories or possessions than are or shall be payable on like articles the produce or manufacture of any foreign country:
Similarly, no higher or other duties shall be imposed in the United States, its territories or possessions or in Guatemala on the exportation of any articles to the other, or to any territory or possession of the other, than are payable on the exportation of like articles to any foreign country:
Every concession with respect to any duty or charge affecting commerce now accorded or that may hereafter be accorded by the United States or by Guatemala, by law, proclamation, decree or commercial treaty or agreement, to the products of any third country will become immediately applicable without request and without compensation to the commerce of Guatemala and of the United States, its territories and possessions, respectively:
Provided that this understanding does not relate to
- (1)
- The treatment which the United States accords or may hereafter accord to the commerce of Cuba or any of the territories or possessions of the United States or the Panama Canal Zone, or to the treatment which is or may hereafter be accorded to the commerce of the United States with any of its territories or possessions or to the commerce of its territories or possessions with one another.
- (2)
- The treatment which Guatemala may accord to the commerce of Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua and/or El Salvador.
- (3)
- Prohibitions or restrictions of a sanitary character or designed to protect human, animal or plant life or regulations for the enforcement of police or revenue laws.
The present arrangement shall become operative on the day of signature and, unless sooner terminated by mutual agreement, shall continue in force until thirty days after notice of its termination shall have been given by either party; but should either party be prevented by future action of its legislature from carrying out the terms of this arrangement, the obligations thereof shall thereupon lapse.
I beg to inform Your Excellency that I have received instructions from my Government to confirm our agreement and to send Your Excellency this note in answer to yours.
I avail myself [etc.]