711.5812/32

The Secretary of State to the Swedish Minister (Wallenberg)

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of November 6, 1922, in which, with reference to the expiration on August 18, 1918, of the Arbitration Convention concluded between the United States and Sweden on May 2, 1908, and extended by the agreement of June 28, 1913, you inform me that the Government of Sweden deems it desirable that a new treaty of Arbitration be concluded between the two Governments, and inquire, by direction of your Government, whether the United States would be willing to enter into negotiations for the conclusion of a treaty of arbitration with Sweden.

The Government of the United States would be pleased to conclude with the Government of Sweden an Arbitration Convention similar to the one concluded between the two Governments on May 2, 1908, a copy of which is transmitted herewith.4

Should the Government of Sweden desire to propose any provisions differing from those of the Convention of 1908, I should be pleased to receive and consider them, as well as to be informed concerning the views of the Government of Sweden with respect to the conclusion of an agreement of the character of the Convention of 1908.

The Government of Sweden may be disposed to consider whether it would not be desirable in any new convention of arbitration which may be concluded by Sweden and the United States that the stipulation relating to duration which in the Convention of 1908 was for a term definitely limited to five years should be elaborated so as to provide for duration for an initial period of five years and for continuance in force indefinitely thereafter until the expiration of one year after a notice of termination shall have been given by either party. Provisions of this character are contained in Article III of the Arbitration Convention concluded by the United States with Peru on December 5, 1908, which has been in force continuously since the exchange of ratifications on June 29, 1909, and in conventions in force between the United States and several other countries. A copy of the Arbitration Convention of December 5, 1908, between the United States and Peru is enclosed.5

Accept [etc.]

Charles E. Hughes