701.5119/8
The Secretary of State to the Panaman Minister (Alfaro)
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note No. D–36, of January 17, 1925,16 in which you state that you have been directed by your Government to inquire “what are the guaranties, privileges and preferences which the Government of the United States recognizes and accords to diplomatic representatives accredited to the Republic of Panama who happen to be in or pass through the Canal Zone.”
In response to your inquiry I am pleased to inform you that it has been, and will doubtless continue to be the practice of this Government to accord on grounds of comity to diplomatic officers accredited to the Republic of Panama, while in the Canal Zone, those courtesies and privileges which are customarily extended by third states to diplomatic officers of foreign governments, it being understood, however, that it is always incumbent upon those officers to establish their identity to the satisfaction of the authorities of the Canal Zone with whom they may come in contact.
I may add in this connection that any foreign diplomatic representatives accredited to the Government of Panama who may hold exequaturs of the President of the United States as consular officers in and with respect to the Panama Canal Zone can not be regarded as being entitled to treatment different from that accorded to similar consular representatives of their respective governments in the United States and its possessions.
Accept [etc.]
- Not printed.↩