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  4. Document 64

611.1831/11: Telegram

The Minister in Costa Rica ( Sack ) to the Acting Secretary of State

San José , December 18, 1933—3 p.m.
[Received 7:50 p.m.]

36. References Montevideo circular telegrams December 12, noon, and December 13, 1 a.m.1 The Costa Rican Government is anxious to negotiate speedily new commercial treaty with the United States along complete lines of the Hull resolution at Montevideo2 as a substitute for existing treaty ratified in 1852.3 At present chief Costa Rican exports to the United States, banana and coffee, admitted duty free but practically all imports from the United States are taxed although not discriminatory with reference to other nations. European nations can not impose tax on Costa Rican products.

Foreign Minister Pacheco told me today that he would like to begin active treaty negotiations here early in January and he suggests reduction of some of present Costa Rican high trade barriers.

In 1932, 42.70 per cent total dollar value of Costa Rican imports came from the United States; 10.93 per cent from Great Britain: 47.8 per cent total exports went to Great Britain and 39.30 per cent went to the United States. Within the last year Costa Rica negotiated new commercial treaties with Great Britain,4 France,5 Italy6 and Germany.7 China and Japan now seeking new treaties.

Will appreciate by air mail text of specific paragraphs sought in proposed treaty, form desired and any other instructions.

Sack
  1. Not found in Department files.↩
  2. See Foreign Relations, 1933, vol. iv, p. 192.↩
  3. Treaty signed July 10, 1851, William M. Malloy (ed.), Treaties, Conventions, etc., Between the United States of America and Other Powers, 1776–1909 (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1910), vol. i, p. 341.↩
  4. See British Board of Trade Journal, May 4, 1933, p. 692.↩
  5. Modus Vivendi signed March 1, 1933, La Gaceta, March 7, 1933, p. 425.↩
  6. Treaty of Navigation and Commerce, signed June 14, 1933, Italy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Trattati e convenzioni fra il regno d’ltalia e gli altri stati, 1933, vol. 46, p. 165.↩
  7. Treaty of Commerce, with protocol, signed October 26, 1932, British and Foreign State Papers, vol. cxxxv, p. 470.↩