611.5831/28: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Sweden (Morris)

46. Your 91, March 20, 5 p.m.

The Swedish Legation in its note of September 24, 1919, stated the willingness of its Government to accept the abrogation of the offending provisions of the Consular Convention on condition that the proposed Treaty of Commerce be concluded. Also, it was suggested in an informal conference in November that this abrogation might be effected by the insertion of a provision in the proposed Treaty of Commerce. No further communication on this subject was received from the Swedish Government. The Department now prefers to have the abrogation of the offending provisions of the Consular Convention effected by an interchange of notes rather than that such abrogation should be dependent on the conclusion of the new Treaty of Commerce.

You will say, informally, to the Foreign Office that this Government gave the notice of termination in accordance with the requirements of the Seamen’s Act and is disposed to consider favorably the withdrawal thereof provided a satisfactory arrangement can be reached in regard to the abrogation of the provisions of the Convention in conflict with the Act; that now it would seem preferable to agree by an interchange of notes that the abrogation of the offending provisions shall be effected as of March 18, 1921 rather than to insert a provision to that effect in the proposed Treaty of Commerce. In view of the possibility that the conclusion of the new treaty will take a longer time than originally contemplated, and since little progress has been made in several months in regard thereto, the undesirability of making the abrogation of the offending provisions of the Consular Convention dependent on the new Treaty of Commerce may be suggested. You may add that this Government is disposed, when the Swedish Government so desires, to continue the negotiation of the Treaty of Commerce and that if the suggestions made in regard to the abrogation of certain provisions of the Convention are agreeable to the Swedish Government it will, apparently, be unnecessary to negotiate a new Consular Convention.

Colby