611.5431/255a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland ( Wilson )
66. The final stage of the trade negotiation has been reached. Last week we gave the Swiss negotiators important additional concessions including some on watch parts. That we can go no further in watch concessions is due to the President’s decision which we fear has been stiffened as a result of the leak described in Department’s 52, August 14, 4 p.m. We are convinced that we have offered Switzerland a very substantial list of concessions and are not prepared to offer more.
We are willing to submit the agreement for final approval to the President provided that in addition to what the Swiss Government has already offered the following concessions are also made:
- 1.
- Lard 90 percent of total Swiss imports when importation is resumed.
- 2.
- Resinous woods quota of 6000 tons.
- 3.
- Typewriters duty lowered to 400 francs.
- 4.
- As an alternative to (3) all calculating machines weighing less than 100 kilograms duty reduced to 450 francs.
- 5.
- Radios duty to be based on actual weight and tare reduced to 40 percent on quota of 80 tons.
- 6.
- Oil burners duty reduction to 100 francs and quota of 48 tons.
- 7.
- Dried apricots duty reduced to 25 francs.
Stucki has the details of these requests from Swiss Legation here.
In addition we require of course assurance of no duty increase during the life of the agreement on rice, fresh apples, canned asparagus, [Page 768] wood, silk hosiery, electric refrigerators, automobiles, radios and petroleum.
The Swiss Minister has been informed of the substance of the above.
Please personally impress on Stucki that these are our final requests which must be granted in full in order to balance the schedules. We feel the time for bargaining has passed and that his refusal of any of the above will compel us to cancel a corresponding amount of our proposed concessions.
For your information agreements with the Netherlands26 and Spain27 are in final stages, and negotiations with France28 are active. Duty reductions granted in these agreements if generalized to Switzerland will be of great value. You may use this argument with Stucki at your discretion.