681.003/184
The Danish Legation to the Department of State
Aide-Mémoire
The General Act signed in Algéciras on April 7, 1906, concerning the international status of Morocco to which the United States is a [Page 980] Party is based on the principle of equality for the commerce of all nations with Morocco. This was not changed when France in 1912 assumed the protectorate over Morocco as the Treaty of November 4, 1911, between France and Germany66 which was approved by the other parties to the Algéciras-Act stipulated that such protectorate should not interfere with the existing commercial equality of all nations in Morocco. The General Act of Algéciras is unlimited in duration and does not provide for denunciation.
The import tariff in Morocco is bound by several treaties at a total rate of 12½% ad valorem.
During the last years certain interested quarters in Morocco have repeatedly expressed the desire of a change in the commercial policy of the French Morocco with a view of partly increasing the import tariff—for financial or protectionist reasons—partly establishing an import quota system which would enable the French Morocco like other countries to pursue a policy of reciprocity.
From reports which the Danish Foreign Office has received from the Danish Consulate in Casablanca and the Danish Legation in Paris it seems to appear that the French Government has entered into negotiations in this respect with all the countries that are Parties to the Algéciras Act.
The Danish Legation would be grateful for any information it might be possible to give it on such negotiations between the American and the French Governments, particularly with respect to possible French proposals and the attitude of the American Government to such proposals.
- Signed at Berlin, British and Foreign State Papers, vol. civ, p. 948. This agreement completed an earlier one of February 9, 1909, ibid., vol. cii, p. 435.↩