812.24/3–1843
Agreement Between the United States and Mexico Regarding Principles Applying to Mutual Aid in the Prosecution of the War, Signed at Washington, March 18, 1943
Whereas the Governments of the United States of America and the United Mexican States declare that they are engaged in a cooperative undertaking, together with every other nation or people of like mind, to the end of laying the bases of a just and enduring world peace securing order under law to themselves and all nations;
And whereas, in conformity with the Declaration of Lima of December 24, 1938 and Declaration XV approved July 30, 1940 at the Second Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American Republics held at Habana, and in harmony with the spirit and [Page 398] purpose of the Third Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American Republics held at Rio de Janeiro, the Governments of the United States of America and the United Mexican States have determined to cooperate further in the defense of the security and integrity of all the American Republics against acts of aggression directed against any of them;
And whereas the Governments of the United States of America and the United Mexican States, as signatories of the Declaration by United Nations of January 1, 1942, have subscribed to a common program of purposes and principles embodied in the Joint Declaration made on August 14, 1941 by the President of the United States of America and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, known as the Atlantic Charter;
And whereas the President of the United States of America, pursuant to the Act of the Congress of the United States of America of March 11, 1941, and the President of the United Mexican States have determined that the defense of each of the American Republics is vital to the defense of all of them;
And whereas the United States of America and the United Mexican States have extended and will continue to extend to each other respectively aid in resisting aggression;
And whereas the Governments of the United States of America and the United Mexican States are mutually desirous of concluding an agreement for the providing of defense articles and defense information by either country to the other country, and the making of such an agreement has been in all respects duly authorized, and all acts, conditions and formalities which it may have been necessary to perform, fulfill or execute prior to the making of such an agreement in conformity with the laws either of the United States of America or of the United Mexican States have been performed, fulfilled or executed as required;
The undersigned, being duly authorized by their respective Governments for that purpose, have agreed as follows:
Article I
The Agreement concluded by the United States of America and the United Mexican States on March 27, 1942 for the providing of defense articles, defense services, and defense information by either country to the other country, shall cease to have effect upon the signing of the present Agreement. All deliveries of defense materials or defense information by either country to the other country or any payments made by either country to the other country in accordance with the terms of the Agreement concluded by the United States of America and the United Mexican States on March 27, 1942 [Page 399] shall be deemed to constitute deliveries or payments in accordance with the terms of the present Agreement.
Article II
The Government of the United States of America will continue to supply the Government of the United Mexican States with such armaments and munitions of war as the President of the United States of America shall authorize to be transferred or provided.
Article III
Should circumstances arise in which the United States of America in its own defense or in order to collaborate in the defense of the Americas shall require defense articles, defense services or defense information which the United Mexican States are in a position to supply, the Government of the United Mexican States will make such defense articles, defense services and defense information available to the United States of America, to the extent possible without harm to its economy and under terms to be agreed upon.
Article IV
The Government of the United Mexican States undertakes that it will not, without the consent of the President of the United States of America, transfer title to, or possession of, any defense article or defense information received under this Agreement, or permit the use thereof by anyone not an officer, employee, or agent of the Government of the United Mexican States.
Similarly, the Government of the United States of America undertakes that it will not, without the consent of the President of the United Mexican States, transfer title to or possession of any defense article or defense information received in accordance with Article III of this Agreement, or permit the use thereof by anyone not an officer, employee, or agent of the Government of the United States of America.
Article V
If, as a result of the transfer to the Government of the United Mexican States of any defense article or defense information, it is necessary for that Government to take any action or make any payment in order fully to protect any of the rights of any citizen of the United States of America who has patent rights in and to any such defense article or information, the Government of the United Mexican States will take such action or make such payment, when requested to do so by the President of the United States of America.
Similarly, if, as a result of the transfer to the Government of the United States of America of any defense article or defense information, it is necessary for that Government to take any action or make any payment in order fully to protect any of the rights of any citizen of [Page 400] the United Mexican States who has patent rights in and to any such defense article or information, the Government of the United States of America will take such action or make such payment, when requested to do so by the President of the United Mexican States.
Article VI
The terms and conditions upon which each Government receives the aid provided under this Agreement by the other Government shall not burden commerce between the two countries, but shall promote mutually advantageous economic relations between them and the betterment of worldwide economic relations. To that end, the two Governments will make provision for agreed action by the United States of America and the United Mexican States open to participation by all other countries of like mind, directed to the expansion, by appropriate international and domestic measures, of production, employment, and the exchange and consumption of goods, which are the material foundations of the liberty and welfare of all peoples; to the elimination of all forms of discriminatory treatment in international commerce and to the reduction of tariffs and other trade barriers; and, in general, to the attainment of all the economic objectives set forth in the Joint Declaration made on August 14, 1941, by the President of the United States of America and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
At an early convenient date, conversations shall be begun between the two Governments with a view to determining, in the light of governing economic conditions, the best means of attaining the above stated objectives by their own agreed action and of seeking the agreed action of other like-minded governments.
Certain terms and conditions upon which each Government receives certain specified items provided under the Agreement by the other Government are set forth in the attached exchange of notes, which is an integral part of this Agreement.
Article VII
This Agreement shall continue in force from the date on which it is signed until a date agreed upon between the two Governments.
Signed and sealed in Washington, in the English and Spanish languages, in duplicate, this eighteenth day of March, 1943.
Secretary of State of the United States of America
For the Government of the United Mexican States:
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Mexican States in Washington