704.5483/22
The Secretary of State to
the Chargé in Egypt (Johnson)
Washington, July 7,
1926.
No. 276Sir: Referring to the Legation’s despatch No.
745 of January 18, 1926, in the matter of the representation of Swiss
interests in Egypt, the Department encloses for your information and
guidance a copy of a despatch, No. 883 of June 5, 1926,13 received from
the Legation at Berne enclosing a copy and translation of a note
received from the Federal Political Bureau setting forth the steps taken
by the Swiss Government with a view to relieving American officials in
Egypt of the representation of such Swiss interests as are now under
their protection.
It is desired that the Legation inform the three consular offices in
Egypt of the action taken by the Swiss Government and report whether any
Swiss property is in the possession of your mission or of the consulates
in Egypt. It should be added that any correspondence
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or documents relating to Swiss interests
which form a part of the Legation’s or Consulates’ official records or
archives, are not considered as Swiss property.
I am [etc.]
For the Secretary of State:
Joseph
C. Grew
[Enclosure—Translation]
The Swiss Federal Political
Department to the American
Legation
By note No. 38, of October 9, 1924,14 the Legation of the United States of
America was good enough to inform the Federal Political Department
that the diplomatic and consular representatives of the United
States in Egypt would be authorized to continue to take care of the
interests of the Swiss citizens who find themselves under their
protection since 1914, until the time, which then appeared to be
near, when these interests could be protected by the agents of the
Confederation. In taking cognizance, by note of October 27, 1924, of
this kind notification, the Department promised to inform the
Legation, at the proper time, of the result of the conferences
between the Governments of Switzerland and Egypt with a view to
organizing an official representation of Switzerland and Egypt.
In conformity with this promise, the Political Department has the
honor to notify the Legation of the United States that the
negotiations which have taken place between Switzerland and Egypt
with a view to determining the legal status of the citizens of one
of the two States within the territory of the other have ended in no
agreement, so that the Government of the Confederation has no
intention, for the moment, of sending diplomatic and consular
representatives to Egypt, and finds itself obliged temporarily to
leave its citizens in Egypt under the protection of friendly powers
enjoying, in the Kingdom of Egypt, the rights of capitulation.
As it is impossible to estimate the duration of this temporary modus vivendi, the Swiss Government has taken
steps with a view to relieving, in conformity with the request of
the American Government, the diplomatic and consular representatives
of the United States in Egypt of the protection of the Swiss
registered with them. The latter will be invited to register, at
their choice, with the diplomatic and consular representatives of
Great Britain and Italy in Egypt.
The Department would be grateful to the Legation of the United States
to be kind enough to bring the above to the attention of its
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Government and to convey
on behalf of the Federal Council the sentiments of its keen
gratitude for the service which the Government of the United States
so obligingly rendered in efficiently protecting, for twelve years,
a certain number of Swiss established in Egypt.
The Department avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the
Legation the assurance of its high consideration.
