611.6731/108

The Ambassador in Turkey (Grew) to the Secretary of State

No. 320

Sir: Referring to the Department’s telegram No. 51 of May 18, 4 p.m. and the Embassy’s telegrams Nos. 71 and 74 of May 14 and May 17 respectively, relative to the prolongation of the Turkish-American Commercial Modus Vivendi, I have the honor to enclose the original of the note signed by Tewfik Rushdi Bey together with a copy of the Embassy’s note, providing for an extension of ten months and twenty days of the Commercial Modus Vivendi dating from May 20, 1928. These notes were exchanged at Angora on May 19.

I have [etc.]

For the Ambassador:
Wm. H. Taylor
Second Secretary of Embassy
[Enclosure 1—Translation31]

The Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs (Tewfik Rouschdy) to the American Ambassador (Grew)

Excellency: I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that pending the coming into force of the Treaty of Commerce between Turkey and the United States of America, signed August 6, 1923, my Government, with the object of determining the régime which, for ten months and twenty days on and after May 20, 1928, shall apply to the commerce between Turkey and the United States of America, agrees that the products of the soil and industry of the United States of America and coming therefrom imported into Turkish territory and intended for consumption or reexportation or transit shall enjoy, during the time above stated, the treatment provided by the Commercial Convention signed at Lausanne on July 24, 1923,32 for the [Page 954] products of the States that have signed it. The provisions of this arrangement do not apply to the treatment granted by Turkey to the commerce between it and the countries detached from the Ottoman Empire following the War of 1914, nor to the border traffic with limitrophe States.

It is understood that the application of this provisional régime is conditioned on the United States of America applying to the products of the soil and industry of Turkey and coming therefrom the treatment of the most favored nation. The provisions of this arrangement do not apply to the treatment granted by the United States of America to the commerce of its dependencies, Cuba or the Panama Canal Zone.

Be pleased [etc.]

Dr. Rousohdi
[Enclosure 2—Translation]

The American Ambassador (Grew) to the Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs (Tewfk Rouschdy)

Excellency: I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that pending the coming into force of the Treaty of Commerce between Turkey and the United States of America, signed August 6, 1923, my Government, with the object of determining the régime which, for ten months and twenty days on and after May 20, 1928, shall apply to the commerce between Turkey and the United States of America, agrees that the products of the soil and industry of Turkey and coming therefrom imported into the territory of the United States of America and intended for consumption or reexportation or transit shall enjoy, during the time above stated, the treatment of the most favored nation. The provisions of this arrangement do not apply to the treatment granted by the United States of America to the commerce of its dependencies, Cuba or the Panama Canal Zone.

It is understood that the application of this provisional regime is conditioned on Turkey applying to the products of the soil and industry of the United States of America and coming therefrom the treatment provided by the Commercial Convention signed at Lausanne on July 24, 1923, for the products of the States that have signed it. The provisions of this arrangement do not apply to the treatment granted by Turkey to the commerce between it and the countries detached from the Ottoman Empire following the War of 1914 nor to the border traffic with limitrophe States.

Be pleased [etc.]

Joseph C. Grew
  1. Translation supplied by the editor.
  2. Between the British Empire, France, Italy, Japan, Greece, Roumania, the Serb-Croat-Slovene State, and Turkey; League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. xxviii, p. 171.