199. Note From the Ambassador in Morocco (Cannon) to Minister of Foreign Affairs Balafrej 1
Excellency: I have the honor to refer to the statement issued by the Department of State on January 26, 1956,2 announcing the intention of the United States Government to relinquish its consular jurisdiction in Morocco at the appropriate time in keeping with the desire to modernize this aspect of the treaty relationship between Morocco and the United States.
[Page 542]It is the decision of my government to relinquish this day these consular jurisdictions which were accorded to the United States of America in a Treaty of Peace and Friendship first concluded with Morocco in 1787 and renewed in 1836 and in the Act of Algeciras signed in 1906; as well as to cease to exercise jurisdiction over subjects of Morocco or others who may be designated as protégés under the Convention of Madrid signed in 1880. It is my understanding, however, that American proteges will have access to the same local courts as American citizens in accordance with the procedures followed in the past when capitulations have been relinquished.
It affords me great satisfaction at the outset of my mission to convey to Your Excellency my Government’s decision in this regard.3
Accept [etc.]4
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 271.116/10–856. Enclosure to despatch 50 from Rabat, October 8.↩
- See footnote 3, Document 186.↩
- P.L. 856, approved August 1, 1956, authorized the President to relinquish extraterritorial jurisdiction in Morocco. On September 12, Secretary Dulles recommended this be done coincident with the arrival in Rabat of Ambassador Cavendish Cannon. (Memorandum for the President; Ibid., AF/AFN Files: Lot 60 D 577) The President agreed on September 15. (Ibid., Central Files, 271.116/9–1556)↩
- There is no signature on the source text.↩