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  3. Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1937, The British Commonwealth, Europe, Near East and Africa, Volume II
  4. Document 475

783.003/156: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Egypt ( Fish )

Washington , February 13, 1937—2 p.m.

13. Your 4, January 16, 1 p.m. and 14, February 3, 1 p.m. Please address the following note to the Minister for Foreign Affairs:9

“I am directed by my Government to acknowledge the receipt of your note of January 16, 1937, setting forth the views of the Royal Egyptian Government respecting the termination of the capitulatory régime and the eventual transfer to the Egyptian courts, following a transitional period, of the jurisdiction now exercised by the Mixed Tribunals and the Consular Courts.

My Government has noted with particular satisfaction the declaration made in Your Excellency’s note that the Royal Egyptian Government intends to continue to follow, in legislative matters applicable to foreigners, the principles generally adopted in modern legislation, and that, especially as regards legislation of a fiscal character, it will make no discrimination either against foreigners or foreign companies. While my Government entertained no doubt that such would be the attitude of the Egyptian authorities, it is, of course, gratified to have Your Excellency’s specific assurances in this regard.

With respect to your courteous invitation to my Government to participate at a conference to be held at Montreux on April 12, 1937, for the purpose of concluding a convention between Egypt and the interested Powers regarding the questions set forth in your note, I am instructed to assure you that the Government of the United States will be pleased to be represented at the proposed conference. I hope to be able to communicate to Your Excellency in the near future the composition of the American delegation.

I also have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of February 2 [3], 1937, setting forth the views of the Egyptian Government with respect to the proposed transitional régime of the Mixed Courts. In this connection I am instructed to reiterate the importance which my Government attaches to receiving at the earliest possible moment the text of the proposed new penal code and code of criminal procedure as well as other details of the proposals which the Egyptian Government intends to put forward at the forthcoming conference.”

Hull
  1. This note was delivered to the Egyptian Minister for Foreign Affairs on February 17.↩