711.60p2/23
The Minister in Latvia (Coleman) to
the Secretary of State
Riga, June 6,
1927.
[Received June 20.]
No. 4542
Sir: Referring to the Department’s telegram No.
19, of May 16, 3 p.m., and my telegram No. 43, of June 2, 4 p.m., 1927,
I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of a note, dated June 1,
1927, from the Latvian Foreign Office, in answer to the points raised in
the Department’s telegram under reference.
The Department will observe that the Latvian Minister for Foreign Affairs
states in his note of June 1st that he is authorized to propose to the
United States Government a text similar to that of the treaty of
commerce and navigation between Latvia and Great Britain.35 In this
connection, however, I informed Dr. Albats, Under-Secretary of the
Foreign Office, verbally that I was certain that my Government could not
accept anything less than “national treatment”. Dr. Albats informed me
that there had been a difference of opinion amongst the Latvian
Government bodies, which are charged with considering
[Page 192]
treaties, concerning this matter. Two of
the three Latvian commissions had perceived no objections to acceding to
the United States point of view, but a third had raised difficulties.
Mr. Albats promised to take the matter up again with the Latvian
commissions with a view to obtaining a reply that would enable the
Foreign Office to comply with the desire of the United States
Government.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure]
The Latvian Minister for Foreign Affairs
(Cielens) to the American
Minister (Coleman)
Riga, June 1,
1927.
No. 652
Excellency: With reference to Your
Excellency’s Note of the 20th May 1927,36 relating to the Draft of Treaty of Friendship,
Commerce and Consular Rights between Latvia and the United States of
America, I am glad to note that the proposals of the Latvian
Government in regard to the Preamble, Article 13 and Article 27 are
agreeable to Your Excellency’s Government.
In respect of the first two paragraphs of Article 1 of the draft, I
am authorized to propose to Your Excellency’s Government a text
similar to that of the treaty of commerce and navigation between
Latvia and Great Britain as follows:
“The citizens of each of the two Contracting Parties shall
have liberty freely to come, with their ships and cargoes to
all places and ports in the territories of the other, to
which citizens of that Party are, or may be, permitted to
come, and shall enjoy the same rights, privileges,
liberties, favors, immunities and exemptions in matters of
commerce and navigation as are or may be enjoyed by citizens
of that Party.
“The citizens of each of the Contracting Parties shall not be
subject in respect of their persons or property, or in
respect of their commerce or industry, to any taxes, whether
general or local, or to imposts or obligations of any kind
whatever, other or greater than those which are or may be
imposed upon citizens of the other, or subjects or citizens
of the most favored nation”.
Regarding the last part of paragraph one of Article 7, the Latvian
Government, however, is obliged to maintain the inclusion of
Exception C.
Regarding the proposed additions in Article 11 this question should
be left open until its due consideration by my Government.
The Latvian Government are glad to learn that Your Excellency’s
Government have consented to omit the words “of the United States”
from Article 15. As regards the insertion of “or transit”
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in Article 15, the
Republic of Latvia is bound in this respect by international
conventions which are duly ratified and entered into force,
consequently my Government are obliged to maintain the proposed
insertion.
The Latvian Government agrees that the question of the mutual
recognition of the respective certificates regarding measurement of
tonnage be considered apart from the treaty provided the exchange of
notes on it takes place before or on the signing of the Treaty.
I avail myself [etc.]
