504.418A2/278: Telegram
The Minister in the Netherlands (Diekema) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received April 12—7:30 p.m.]
73. [From Miller.] Conference 38. There were two plenary sessions of the Conference on April 12.16 At the morning session the somewhat elaborate report of the commission on the territorial waters was received. There were then adopted without dissent three recommendations: The first related to future work of codification; the second to the international régime of ports; the third to the protection of products of the sea.
All of these appear to be harmless and I shall not cable their text in full unless you request it.
The afternoon session was devoted to the signing of five documents namely: The nationality convention; protocol relating to military obligations; protocol relating to case of statelessness; special protocol relating to statelessness; and the Final Act of the Conference.
Of course we signed neither the convention nor any one of the protocols. After consideration we thought the form of the Final Act proper and constituting merely a formal record and in no way binding as an agreement in any sense. Accordingly the Final Act was signed on behalf of the United States by our four delegates,17 Flournoy having left. Therefore [Thereupon?] the Conference finally adjourned. Miller.