[Enclosure 2-Translation] Report Rendered by the Albanian Minister for Foreign Affairs TIRANA, November 1925. The approval is proposed of the two conditions of the United States of America for the following reasons: 1. The Albanian State is engaged to the United States of America according to decision No. 569 of the Ministerial Council dated June 22, 1922, as described below: "The Albanian Government will recognize the passports granted by American authorities to Albanians naturalized in America in accordance with American laws on nationalities." The international significance of the United States of America must be taken under consideration as well as our moral obligation to honor promises made by our State. 2. "The most favored nation" clause is a principle accepted by all countries and has become customary in the making of all treaties relating to commerce, always based on reciprocity. 3. The naturalization question is not of any great importance because the Albanians who become naturalized and return to our country would lose their American citizenship if they remained here for two consecutive years. 4. In order to give recognition to countries created after the world war the Government of the United States has imposed on them, as a sine qua non condition, the acceptance of the two above mentioned points. H. VRIONI 711.75/10 The Minister in Albania (Hart) to the Secretary of State No. 46 TIRANA, December 29, 1925. SIR: Inviting attention to my telegram No. 63, December 14, 8 p. m.,30 and my despatch No. 44 of December 16, I have the honor to report that Albania's pledges to the American government made on June 25, 1922, (See Mr. Blake's despatch No. 3 of August 2, 1922), became the law of the land on December 28, 1925, by publication in the Official Gazette, government organ. President Ahmet Zogu signed the measure on December 21, just seven days after parliament had given its unanimous approval. The President's sanction reads: 30 Not printed. "We the President of the Albanian Republic, approve this law passed by the legislative bodies and decree its application. "Tirana, the 21st of December, 1925. "Musa Juka, Minister of Public Works and Minister a. i. of the Interior and for Foreign Affairs." "A. Zogu" The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hussein Vrioni, was absent at the time the law was signed which accounts for the signature of Musa Juka as Minister ad interim for Foreign Affairs. I have [etc.] CHAS. C. HART AUSTRIA INFORMAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND AUSTRIA FOR CONTINUATION OF RECIPROCAL MOST-FAVOREDNATION TREATMENT IN CUSTOMS MATTERS1 711.632/16: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Minister in Austria (Washburn) [Paraphrase] WASHINGTON, June 25, 1925—5 p. m. 25. Referring to your despatches No. 374 of December 29, 1923, No. 419 of March 8, 1924, and No. 546 of September 17, 1924,3 on the subject of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Consular Rights. This Government has under consideration the counterproposals which the Austrian Government has made and will shortly send you instructions regarding them. It is desired that you inform this Government whether after July 16, 1925, the Austrian Government intends to continue to accord American commerce most-favorednation treatment as provided in articles 217, 218, 219, and 220 of the Treaty of Saint Germain-en-Laye, to which the United States received rights by the treaty of August 24, 1921, establishing friendly relations. July 16 is the date after which it is understood that the rights granted the Allied and Associated Powers under the articles referred to will cease. It is the view of this Government that reciprocal most-favorednation treatment, as now accorded to the commerce of Austria by the United States and by Austria to the commerce of the United States, ought to be continued until the negotiations now being conducted for the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Consular Rights have been concluded and the treaty brought into force. Please take up the matter with the Austrian Foreign Office informally and learn whether it would be ready to assure continuance of most-favorednation treatment as provided in the four articles referred to. Please report by telegram. For previous correspondence, see Foreign Relations, 1923, vol. 1, pp. 398 ff. 2 Dated Dec. 18, 1923, mailed Dec. 29, 1923; ibid., p. 413. Nos. 419 and 546 not printed. 4 Malloy, Treaties, 1910-1923, vol. ш, pp. 3228-3229. Ibid., pp. 2493 fr. You know, of course, of the provisions of section 317 of the Tariff Act of 1922, according to which the President is empowered to proclaim additional or new duties not exceeding 50 percent ad valorem or the equivalent on articles imported from any country which discriminates in respect to any customs duties or other charges, or in the classification or regulation of commerce, against the commerce of the United States. You should not, however, make reference to section 317 unless the attitude of the Austrian authorities necessitates it. KELLOGG 711.632/19: Telegram The Minister in Austria (Washburn) to the Secretary of State VIENNA, July 4, 1925-2 p. m. [Received July 5—3:56 a. m.] 45. Department's telegram 25. During the absence of present Foreign Minister in Paris, Doctor Schüller who has matter in hand has given assurance that his informal understanding with me for the reciprocal application of most-favored-nation treatment will continue after July 16th until the treaty now being negotiated has been concluded and become effective. Referring to my despatch No. 754, June 17th,' Schüller intimated that recent tariff changes of Hungary and Czechoslovakia may oblige him in September to enter into discussion with respect to forthcoming treaty between the United States and Austria, on the lines of paragraph 222, Treaty of Saint Germain. WASHBURN 6 42 Stat. 858. 7 Not printed. BELGIUM CONVENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND BELGIUM FOR THE PREVENTION OF SMUGGLING OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS, SIGNED DECEMBER 9, 1925 711.559/9 The Acting Secretary of State to the Belgian Chargé (Tilmont) WASHINGTON, September 8, 1925. SIR: I beg to refer to your conversation with Mr. William R. Castle, Jr., of this Department, on July 15, 1925, concerning the desire of your Government to conclude with the Government of the United States a convention for the prevention of smuggling of intoxicating liquors similar to the convention concluded between the United States and Great Britain on January 23, 1924.1 You stated that you were convinced your Government would find satisfactory a convention identic with that signed by the United States and France. You also stated that, if this Government is disposed to propose a convention which is identic with the convention signed by the United States and France, you would be grateful to receive at the same time a copy of the French text as signed by the two Governments. 3 I am pleased to enclose for the consideration of your Government a draft of a convention which this Government is disposed to conclude with your Government for the prevention of smuggling of intoxicating liquors and to enclose, also, a copy of the convention which was signed by the United States and France on June 30, 1924. You will observe that, in preparing the draft of the convention which this Government is willing to conclude with your Government, the word "convention", wherever it appears in Articles IV, V and VI, was substituted for the word "treaty", appearing in the convention signed by the United States and France. The amendment is made so that the phraseology used in the Articles will conform to the phraseology in the Preamble. In the circumstances, it is hoped that the proposed draft is sufficiently identic to comply with the wishes of your Government in the matter. Accept [etc.] 1 Foreign Relations, 1924, vol. 1, p. 157. 2 Convention of June 30, 1924, ibid., p. 197. 3 JOSEPH C. GREW The draft convention enclosed with this despatch is identic with the treaty signed Dec. 9, 1925, infra. |