Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, 1929, Volume III

611.7131/76: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Rumania (Wilson)

Washington, December 11, 1929—6 p.m.

19. Your 31, November 27, 6 p.m., and despatch 310 November 7.¹¹

(1) Official notification of termination of agreement effected February 26, 1926, by exchange of notes has been received from Rumanian Minister here, effective March 1, 1930. Please advise Foreign Office that Department is prepared immediately to undertake negotiation of treaty of commerce and navigation embodying substantially the provisions of Articles 7 to 11 of Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Consular Rights, signed December 8, 1923, between the United States and Germany.¹² Copies of latter treaty in the English, German and French languages were submitted by Legation to Foreign Office for preliminary study in 1927 (see Legation’s despatch No. 390, March 17, 1927,¹³ and 555 March 16, 1928¹⁴). You should state that if Foreign Office is favorably disposed you will be glad to submit as soon as practicable a draft treaty embodying provisions of the kind above indicated. However, you should reserve this Government’s freedom to propose such additional provisions as may on further consideration seem appropriate. Department will also forward French translation for convenience of Rumanian officials.

(2) Reason for proposing short treaty of commerce and navigation is the limited time available for negotiations. If negotiations not completed soon enough for consideration of treaty by Senate during present session of Congress, it could not be brought into force until after Congress reconvenes in December 1930. You may mention latter contingency as a reason for expediting negotiations.

(3) Implications of last paragraph of provisions of Rumanian law quoted in translation on page 2 of your despatch 310, November 7, are not clear to Department. In view of possibility that this provision may envisage policy similar to that described in Legation’s 397, April 2, 1927,¹⁵ whereby most-favored-nation clause would in no case be made applicable to the whole customs tariff, particular care should be taken to make it clear to Foreign Office that treaty proposed by the United States would guarantee full most-favored-nation treatment in customs matters. For your guidance see also first paragraph Department’s 19, May 9, 1927, 5 p.m.¹⁶

Report promptly by telegraph.

Stimson

11. Latter not printed.
12. Foreign Relations, 1923, vol. ii, p. 29.
13. Not printed.
14. Foreign Relations, 1927, vol. iii, p. 637.
15. Foreign Relations, 1927, vol. iii, p. 632.
16. Ibid., p. 636.