Historical Documents - Office of the Historian

711.232/3: Telegram

[Paraphrase]

Washington, September 29, 1927—6 p.m.

32. Embassy’s telegram number 43 of September 17, 11 a.m.

1.: In connection with the adjustment of relations between Cuba and the United States following the Spanish–American War a commercial convention was signed.12 In Article 8 of that convention it was agreed that the reciprocal treatment accorded by the convention should be preferential in regard to all other countries. This agreement [Page 597] occupies an exceptional place in the commercial relations of Cuba and the United States.
2.: This country has declined the proposals of several countries to conclude reciprocity conventions similar to the above-mentioned convention. It makes an exception of this convention from the most-favored-nation provision (Article 7) in the treaty with Germany, and the treaties with other countries. The United States cannot make an exception to the policy in these treaties such as would be involved in granting to Peruvian sugar the same treatment now conceded to Cuban sugar.
3.: When the time seems opportune the Department desires you to bring the foregoing to the attention of the Peruvian Government and endeavor to reach an agreement with that Government to enter upon negotiations for a treaty based upon an unconditional most-favored-nation treatment of commerce without special privileges or concessions by either government which is the basis of commercial agreements between the United States and many countries now in force and under negotiation.

Carr

Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1927, Volume III