738.3915/398
The Haitian Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (León) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 12.]
Mr. Secretary of State: On January 21, 1929, the Government of the Republic of Haiti and the Government of the Dominican Republic signed a Treaty in the city of Santo Domingo,12 for the purpose of arriving at the settlement of the frontier differences which have long existed between the two States, and to establish the definitive delimitation of their respective territories. To accomplish this delimitation, the Treaty provides for the appointment by the two High Contracting Parties of a Commission charged with undertaking the necessary labors; and, in order to assure every guarantee for the execution of the proposed line, and to remove every obstacle capable of paralyzing the work of the Commissioners, the Treaty likewise sets up a special mixed commission to arbitrate supremely and finally the difficulties of every kind which the tracing of the frontier line may occasion. This second Commission will be composed of five members, the nationals respectively of the Republic of Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the United States of North America, the United States of Brazil and the United States of Venezuela. The two interested Governments, with the idea of surrounding the appointment of the arbitrators with all desirable precautions, have agreed to request, if it should be necessary, the chief of each of the three last named States to select the citizen of his country who will be summoned to fulfill this delicate mission. Article 7 of the Treaty, a copy of which I send Your Excellency, under this cover, has confirmed the agreement of the two Governments in this respect.
In informing Your Excellency of these facts I take the liberty of hoping that you will be so good as to advise the President of the United States of America of the communication which the President of the Republic of Haiti reserves for himself the honor of sending him if later circumstances necessitate the meeting of the Arbitration Commission.
I take [etc.]
- For text of the treaty, see League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. cv, p. 193.↩