Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, 1930, Volume II

884.631/2

The Minister in Ethiopia (Southard) to the Secretary of State

Addis Ababa, December 26, 1929.
[Received January 31, 1930.]

No. 311

Sir: I have the honor to refer to Consular Despatch No. 133 of December 14th, 1929, from this office, with which was forwarded an Ethiopian decree for the regulation of certain kinds of mining exploitation.¹¹

This decree came up for discussion at the last meeting of the Diplomatic Corps which objects to the provisions which would permit the direct fining of foreigners. The local British, French and Italian Ministers are particularly determined in their opposition to any Ethiopian decree or act which might authorize, as does this one on the subject of mining, the direct imposition on foreigners of fines or other punishment by the Ethiopian Government. Hence, on the basis of principle, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, supported by a majority vote of his colleagues, has announced his intention of protesting to King Tafari against the decree. The Diplomatic Corps is of the opinion that such protest must be made to protect the rights gained by foreigners under the French Klobukowsky Treaty of 1908,¹² which treaty has at various times been commented upon in the reports from this office.

I have [etc.]

Addison E. Southard

11. Neither printed.
12. Treaty of friendship and commerce between Ethiopia and France, signed at Addis Ababa, January 10, 1908; British and Foreign State Papers, vol. ci, p. 997.