611.60i31/27

The Minister in Estonia (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State

[Extract]
No. 654

Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith copies of a Memorandum handed to me at Tallinn, on February 27, by Mr. Wirgo, Director of the Foreign Trade Bureau of the Estonian Foreign Office, with reference to the desire of the Estonian Government to modify the American-Estonian Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Consular Rights, of December 23, 1925. The substance of this Memorandum was communicated to the Department in my telegram (No. 3) from Tallinn, February 27, 5 p.m.;17 and it is to this Memorandum that references were made in the Department’s telegram of March 21, 5 p.m., to the Tallinn Legation,17 and in my reply (No. 29, March 22, 2 p.m.) of today’s date.17

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Respectfully yours,

J. V. A. MacMurray
[Page 187]
[Enclosure]

Memorandum From the Director of the Foreign Trade Bureau of the Estonian Foreign Office (Wirgo) to the American Minister (MacMurray)

The Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Consular Rights between Estonia and the United States of America is to remain in force according to the stipulation of Article XXIX of this Treaty for the term of ten years, i. e. until May 22, 1936. In the same Article XXIX it is stipulated that “if within one year before the expiration of the aforesaid period of ten years neither High Contracting Party notifies to the other an intention of modifying, by change or omission, any of the provisions of any of the articles in this Treaty or of terminating it upon the expiration of the aforesaid period, the Treaty shall remain in full force and effect after the aforesaid period and until one year from such a time as either of the High Contracting Parties shall have notified to the other an intention of modifying or terminating the Treaty.”

With reference to this stipulation and to the memorandum submitted by this Ministry to the Legation of the United States on January 23, 1935,19 the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has the honor to ask the Legation to kindly convey to the Government of the United States that the Estonian Government would like to see the abovementioned Treaty modified.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has repeatedly called the attention of the Government of the United States to the fact that the balance of Esto-American trade has hitherto turned to a considerable disadvantage for Estonia. As to the causes of such a state of affairs it should be mentioned that the high rates of customs duties in the United States of America doubtless are a considerable impediment to the sale of Estonian goods to the United States. In order to improve Esto-American trade relations it would be helpful if the Government of the United States would accord a fifty per cent reduction of import duties for the following Estonian articles: flax, casein, galalith, butter, spirits (brandy), liquors, sheet-glass, box boards, sweets (confectionery), home work (handiwork) and cement, whereas for Estonian cellulose a duty free admission should be consolidated. Should the Government of the United States see their way to agree to such reductions of import duties, the Estonian Government would be prepared to enter into negotiations with the Government of the United States concerning the modification of the abovementioned Esto-American Treaty of Commerce.

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