Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 5, 1905

Chargé Wilson to the Secretary of State.

American Legation,
Athens, July 24, 1905.

No. 289, Greek Series.]

Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of the Greek official paper of the 9/22 instant containing the text of the provisional commercial agreement between Greece and Belgium which was recently accepted by the Chamber of Deputies.

The commercial agreement between Great Britain and Greece, voted at the same time, has not yet been published, but will be forwarded as soon as a copy is procurable.

I have also to report that the extradition treaty between Austria-Hungary and Greece passed its third reading in the Chamber yesterday and that negotiations for an extradition treaty between Greece and Holland are begun.

I have, etc.,

Charles S. Wilson.

[Inclosure.—Translation.]

Provisional commercial arrangement.

The Government of His Majesty the King of the Hellenes and the Government of His Majesty the King of the Belgians, having recognized the expediency of regulating the commercial relations between Greece and Belgium By means of a provisional arrangement pending the conclusion of a final treaty on the basis of mutual tariff concessions, the undersigned, being duly authorized for this purpose by their respective governments, have agreed on the following:

Article 1.

The treaty of commerce and navigation between Greece and Belgium of May 13/25, 1895, is hereby renewed, except as regards article 6 of the said treaty. Of all the provisions contained in that article only the following are maintained:

Neither of the high contracting parties shall levy on merchandise the product of the soil or industry of the other party any other or higher import duties than those which are or may in future be levied on the same goods coming from any other foreign nation.

Each of the two parties pledges itself to grant to the other any favor, privilege, or reduction in the tariff of import or export duties which one of them may accord to a third power. They likewise engage not to establish against each other any import or export duty which shall not at the same time be applicable to other nations.

Article 2.

The present arrangement, which shall take effect the day of the exchange of ratifications, shall remain binding until the expiration of a year from the day on which one or the other of the contracting parties shall have denounced it. Such denunciation can not, however, take place until the end of the first year.

Article 3.

The present arrangement shall be ratified and the ratifications exchanged at Athens as soon as possible.

In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed it and affixed thereto their seals.

Done at Athens in duplicate October 19 (November 1), 1904.

[l. s.]

A. Romanos.

[l. s.]

P. De Groote.