611.3331/437: Telegram
The Ambassador in Uruguay (Dawson) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 24—6:50 p.m.]
580. Embassy’s telegram No. 567, December 22. Memoranda presented to Embassy this afternoon by Foreign Office confirm oral acceptance of our proposed general provisions contingent upon our [Page 589] willingness, first, to add a paragraph to article II along general lines of that described in paragraph 3 of Embassy’s telegram under reference, second, to suppress paragraph 1 of article XVI and, third, to amend note regarding preferences to contiguous countries to include Bolivia and Paraguay (see paragraph 1, Embassy’s telegram No. 567).
Uruguayans contend that their basic customs law does not permit any consideration of intent in connection with errors in documentation. (See Embassy’s despatch No. 897 of April 23, 1941.) It is pointed out, however, that the customs regulations permit an importer to examine, weigh, and extract samples from shipments before beginning clearance proceedings. The Department’s early reaction to the Uruguayan proposal with respect to the inclusion of Bolivia and Paraguay in the contiguous country note would be appreciated.