438.00/352
The Secretary of State to the French Ambassador (Bérenger)
Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of January 30, 1926,41 in further relation to the agreement concluded June 12, 1925, by the Governments of France and Haiti regarding the procedure to be followed in submitting the claims of French citizens and protegés to the Claims Commission constituted in accordance with the Treaty of September 16, 1915, and the Protocol of October 3, 1919, between the United States and Haiti.
In this connection I take pleasure in enclosing for the information of your Government a copy of a note addressed to me by the Minister of Haiti on February 5, 1926, and a copy of my note in reply thereto, dated February 9, 1926,41a from which it will be noted that this Government has indicated that it will interpose no objection to the provisions of the agreement beforementioned. This would appear to preclude the possibility of any question arising that might involve a delay in the presentation to the Commission of claims of French citizens and protegés. I may say, however, that prior to the exchange of notes above referred to information was received from the American High Commissioner at Port au Prince indicating that the hearing of French claims by the Commission would not be delayed. It is understood that consideration of these claims will be undertaken after the 15th of this month, but that it is impossible yet to fix a definite date for the commencement of the hearings.
Accept [etc.]