711.922/93

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hamilton)

The Siamese Minister called. He said that this morning he had received a telegram from his Government informing him that the Siamese Government had received the Minister’s letter of September 15 forwarding the two counter-drafts which the Department had put forward of a new treaty between the United States and Siam. The Minister said that his telegram asked him to obtain from the Department as soon as possible the text of the paragraph in regard to immovable property. The Siamese Government desired that the Minister forward this text by cable. The Minister said also that his telegraphic instruction indicated that the Siamese Government desired to conclude negotiations by November 5.

I told the Minister that the draft of a provision in regard to immovable property rights was still under consideration; that the Government had not yet decided on the language which it would desire to propose; and that unfortunately we could not give any definite indication as to when the paragraph in question would be ready for presentation to the Siamese Government. I explained to the Minister that one reason why it was necessary for us to proceed carefully in this matter was that such a provision might constitute a precedent in our treaties with Far Eastern countries.

I told the Minister that when we were ready to present the paragraph in regard to immovable property we would furnish him with the text in order that he might cable it to his Government.

M[axwell] M. H[amilton]