600.90D9/12: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France ( Bullitt )

89. Department’s instruction No. 1929, January 25, 1940. With reference to despatch No. 448 from Beirut dated January 9, copy of which has been sent to the Embassy, the Department considers the refusal to grant licenses for the export of wool from Syria to any country except France to be a direct violation of Article 11 of the Syrian Mandate, providing for non-discriminatory treatment with respect to goods “destined for” any of the States members of the League of Nations. Guarantees given to members of the League in the Syrian Mandate were extended to the United States in the Convention signed at Paris April 4, 1924.

You should refer specifically to the wool embargo in Syria in your discussions with the French authorities consequent to the Department’s instruction of January 25, and should protest against this discriminatory treatment.

Hull