711.60p2/20: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Latvia ( Coleman )
8. Your telegram February 28, 4 p.m. Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Consular Rights.
1. Exceptions to most favored nation treatment contained in the last paragraph of Article 7 of the treaties of the United States with [Page 183] Germany,26 Hungary27 and Estonia28 relate only to the stipulations contained in that Article. With a view to maintaining uniformity in the treaties of the United States, this Government desires that exceptions proposed by the Latvian Government be limited to the provisions of Article 7. It asks that certain other minor changes also be made in the Article quoted in your telegram with a view to increased definiteness and clarity.
2. The Department desires that you propose an Article as follows:
“The stipulations of Article 7 of this Treaty shall not extend
- (a)
- (exception in regard to border traffic as in your telegram).
- (b)
- (exception in regard to Cuba and Panama).
- (c)
- (to the customs preferences or other facilities of whatever nature which are or may be granted by Latvia in favor of Estonia, Finland, Lithuania or Russia and/or to the special privileges resulting to States in customs or economic union with Latvia so long as such preferences, facilities or special privileges are not accorded to any other State.”
(Compare the last paragraph of Article 7 of the Treaty between the United States and Estonia.)
3. This Government has not hitherto used the term “Union of Soviet Socialist Republics” in any treaty or exchange of notes. It desires to insist on the use of the term “Russia”.
4. In view of the reference to Article 7 now contained in the Article the Department suggests that the Article be placed immediately after Article 7 and be numbered Article 8.
5. Article 8 of the draft should then be renumbered Article 9 and succeeding Articles accordingly.
6. In the third paragraph of Article 30 reference must then be made to Articles 10 and 12 instead of Articles 9 and 11.