641.67n3/11

The Secretary of State to the British Chargé (Osborne)

Sir: I have the honor to refer to Sir Ronald Lindsay’s note No. 232 of July 15, 1932, (supplemented by your note No. 245 (C. 84) of August 6, 1932,) outlining a proposal of the British Government to grant a preference to Palestinian products imported into the United Kingdom, and inquiring whether the Government of the United States feels any objection to this proposal.

In reply, I regret to state that this Government is unable to concur in the feeling of the British Government respecting the right of the United States under the most-favored-nation provisions of the Convention of Commerce between the two countries signed on July 3, 1815, to claim such preference. The Government of the United States considers that Palestine is a “foreign country” within the meaning of the term as used in Article 2 of the Convention, and therefore holds that any tariff privileges accorded to Palestine should also accrue to the United States.

In regard to preferential treatment of goods originating in or consigned from those other British mandated territories named in your note of August 6, 1932, I wish to inform you that the Government of the United States has been unable to perceive any ground upon which Tanganyika, the Cameroons under British mandate, and Togoland under British mandate should, in matters of trade preference, be treated as if they were possessions of the mandatory power. I feel therefore called upon to state that the position of the Government of the United States with respect to these territories is the same as is its position with regard to Palestine.

Accept [etc.]

For the Secretary of State:
James Grafton Rogers