Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1938, The American Republics, Volume V

611.3931/107

The Dominican Legation to the Department of State ²¹

undated

[Translation]

Memorandum

His Excellency the President of the Republic has considered the moment propitious for the initiation of conversations²² at the Department of State with regard to the drawing up of a trade agreement between the Dominican Republic and the United States of America and to that effect has entrusted to me the duty of setting on foot steps to this end through the channel of this Legation.

With this intention you are invited to initiate negotiations as soon as possible, taking into consideration the fundamental bases detailed below and which are to serve you as guidance for the purpose pursued:

Sugar

(a) Concession on the part of the United States of a quota not less than 150,000 tons per year;

(b) That, together with the concession of the quota referred to in the foregoing paragraph, the United States modify the tariffs which it applies to Dominican sugar in such manner that the price of this product on the American market become higher than that which is obtained in the free market of London or, at least, that the price be the same.

Market of Puerto Rico

(a) Concession of greater facilities of entry into Puerto Rico for all Dominican products susceptible of being consumed in that Island by the abolition of all the restrictions which that country now imposes on our products, and

(b) Very particularly, the obtaining of the entry of our bovine livestock into that country, on the hoof, the Dominican Government undertaking to guarantee the anti-tick bath beforehand as well as other measures necessary which may be requested, such as vaccination against diseases in general.

Various Products

Obtaining a guarantee regarding the maintenance of free entry into the United States or at least of entry on conditions of parity with Cuba of the following articles:

[Here follows list of 71 tariff items.]

Among the ordinary advantages, you should advise the Department of State that the Republic is disposed to maintain for the United States all the benefits which it now derives from the most-favored-nation clause which exists in benefit of the United States in virtue of the modus vivendi of 1924.²³

Market for Puerto Rico

• Beef
• Goat’s meat
• Turkeys
• Maize
• Coffee
• Pork
• Live chickens
• Hen’s eggs
• Bananas

21. Left at the Department on August 24, 1938. This was apparently a copy of a memorandum from the Dominican Foreign Ministry to the Legation.
22. Informal conversations had already commenced.
23. Exchange of notes signed September 25, 1924, Foreign Relations, 1924, vol. i, pp. 667–670.