611.6831/27
The Secretary of State to the Greek Minister (Roussos)
Sir: With reference to your note of January 24, 1920, notifying this Government of the intention of the Royal Hellenic Government to arrest the operation of the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation of 1837 on January 26, 1921, I have the honor to enquire whether the Royal Hellenic Government would agree to enter immediately into negotiations with this Government looking towards the signing and ratification at an early date of a brief Treaty, similar to the draft transmitted herewith in triplicate,6 amending Article XVII of the Treaty of 1837 so as to extend the provisions of that Treaty until three months after one of the High Contracting Parties has declared its intention to renounce it.
[Page 716]I have the honor to add that, should the Royal Hellenic Government prefer not to enter into so formal an agreement to run only to the time when that Government is in a position to negotiate new Treaties, possibly a brief period, this Government would be equally appreciative of an early assurance from the Royal Hellenic Government that after January 26, 1921, this Government will continue to enjoy the advantages of a Treaty-Government until a new Treaty has been concluded; until the present Commercial Treaties of the other Allied and Associated nations with Greece have ceased to be operative; or until three months after notice has been given of the intention of the Royal Hellenic Government to withhold some part of the reciprocal advantages traditionally enjoyed by Greece and the United States in their trade and intercourse.
Accept [etc.]
- File translation revised.↩