625.5131/111: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile (Bowers)
589. Your 967, May 29. Whether the break in diplomatic relations with Vichy France is to be regarded as terminating the trade convention between Chile and France is of course a matter for decision by the Chilean authorities. However, this Government continues to regard our trade agreement with France,37 including reduced duties, as continuing in force although political relations with Vichy France have been broken off. You may in your discretion discuss the matter informally with the Chilean authorities in the sense of the foregoing and express the hope that they will not consider it necessary on legal or other grounds to take an action which would have the effect of raising rates of duty on products of some interest to countries other than France, including the United States.38
- Signed at Washington, May 6, 1936; for text, see Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 146, or 53 Stat. (pt. 3) 2236.↩
- The Ambassador addressed an aide-mémoire, June 9, to the Minister for Foreign Affairs in this sense and received assurances that the Chilean Customs would continue to regard the convention as in effect (625.5131/112). Cancellation of the convention did take place early in 1945, however, with resulting increases in the selling prices of certain American goods.↩