Treaty Series No. 760½
The Colombian Minister ( Olaya ) to the Secretary of State
The undersigned, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Colombia, duly authorized by his Government, proposes to His Excellency the Secretary of State of the United States the conclusion, by exchange of notes of the following agreement respecting the status of Serrana and Quita Sueño Banks and Roncador Cay, situated in the western part of the Caribbean Sea, that is to say, that whereas both Governments have claimed the right of sovereignty over these Islands; and whereas the interest of the United States lies primarily in the maintenance of aids to navigation; and whereas Colombia shares the desire that such aids shall be maintained without interruption and furthermore is especially interested that her nationals shall uninterruptedly possess the opportunity of fishing in the waters adjacent to those Islands, the status quo in respect to the matter shall be maintained and the Government of Colombia will refrain from objecting to the maintenance by the United States of the services which it has established [Page 638] or may establish for aids to navigation, and the Government of the United States will refrain from objecting to the utilization, by Colombian nationals, of the waters appurtenant to the Islands for the purpose of fishing.