511.4 A 2/93a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Persia (Murray)
83. 1. The Department hopes that the Government of Persia will be represented at the forthcoming opium conference at Geneva in November next. The question of production of raw opium is one of prime importance and without the cooperation of the producing countries it will be difficult to reach a satisfactory conclusion. The Department suggests, therefore, that you communicate the views of this Government to the Government of Persia through appropriate channels in substantially the following form:
“As the Government of Persia is undoubtedly aware, a conference to consider measures to restrict the traffic in opium and other dangerous drugs will be held in Geneva in November of this year. This is a humanitarian question of world-wide importance in which the Government of the United States has always been deeply interested, and it is hoped that the Persian Government will find it possible to participate in the work of the conference.
One of the principal questions to be considered is the production of raw opium and its transportation in international commerce. It is the earnest hope of this Government that the Government of Persia will cooperate in an international effort to terminate the production and transportation of raw opium in quantities over and above those needed for medicinal purposes, thereby attacking the problem at its source.
The Government of the United States would be glad to have the views of the Government of Persia in this regard, and hopes that the delegates at the conference will be prepared to discuss sympathetically this fundamental point, with a view to accepting the principle.”
2. In addition to the above communication to the Persian Government the Department desires that you should make certain oral representations as well. See Department’s telegram No. 65, August 12 [13], 4 p.m.79 On August 22 the Department addressed to you a written communication enclosing a copy of a note dated July 10 received from the British Ambassador at Washington, referring to certain instructions to British consular officers in the Persian Gulf concerning the illicit trade in opium, and a copy of the Department’s reply. The note also inquired whether this Government would be disposed to instruct you to inform the Persian Government of the interest of the United States in the adoption of measures tending to suppress illicit traffic in opium. In replying to this note the Department stated that action would be taken by you only if a satisfactory settlement by the Persian Government of the questions arising in the killing in Teheran of Vice-Consul Imbrie had been reached. While the Department does not consider that at the present time entire satisfaction has been secured in the Imbrie case, nevertheless, in view of the expressed acquiescence of the Persian Government in certain of the demands of this Government and in view of the importance which this Government attaches to the control of illicit traffic in opium, the Department considers it advisable for you to proceed with the suggested representations at once.
The Department believes that it would be entirely appropriate for you to bring the matter to the attention of the Persian Government and to state that it is this Government’s hope that the Persian Government will be in a position to enforce regulations which would result in bringing the illicit opium trade to an end. You may state that any action which may be taken by the Persian Government to suppress the illegal opium traffic would be helpful to the United States in making more effective its own very stringent regulations in that connection.
[3.] Before making such representations you may confer with your British colleague in order that your representations may, as nearly as possible, coincide in time with those to be made by him. Department assumes that your British colleague will be pleased to furnish you detailed information as to the attitude of the British Government in this matter and to show you a draft copy of the King’s Regulations relating to the control of the traffic in opium between the Persian Gulf and the Far East which the Department understands are to be issued on January 1, 1925.
The Department, in reply to an inquiry in the British note, stated that it refrains from making suggestions to the American financial [Page 588] adviser otherwise than through the regular channels of the competent Persian authorities. The Department assumes, however, that Dr. Millspaugh already appreciates the interest of this Government in the effective control of the traffic in opium.
- Not printed; see despatch no. 652, Sept. 23, from the Chargé in Persia, infra.↩