711.60i12A/12
The Chargé at Riga (Sussdorff) to
the Secretary of State
Riga, January 2, 1929.
[Received January
18.]
No. 5805Sir: Referring to my Confidential Despatch No.
5683 of November 6, 1928, concerning the views of the Latvian and
Estonian Governments regarding drafts of the Treaty of Arbitration and
of the Treaty of Conciliation between Latvia and Estonia and the United
States, and to the Department’s telegram No. 63, of November 10, 3 p.m.,
1928, I now have the honor to transmit herewith copies in quintuplicate
of a Note dated December 17, 1928, from the Estonian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs concerning the draft Treaty of Arbitration.
I have [etc.]
[Page 973]
[Enclosure—Translation]
The Estonian Assistant Minister for Foreign
Affairs (Schmidt) to the American
Chargé (Sussdorff)
Tallinn, December 17, 1928.
9468Monsieur le Chargé d’Affaires: With
reference to the conversation which I had with you during your stay
lately at Tallinn on the subject of the Arbitration and Conciliation
draft Treaties between Estonia and the United States, I have the
honour to request you to recommend to your Government’s
consideration the following point with regard to the draft Treaty of
Arbitration.
Article 1 of this draft Treaty provides that all differences
characterized in the same article shall be submitted to the
Permanent Court of Arbitration established by the Convention
concluded at the Hague on October 18th, 1907, or to some other
competent tribunal, as shall be decided in each case by special
agreement. In connection with this provision I allow myself to draw
your attention to the fact that Estonia has not adhered to the
above-named Convention. The Estonian Government, therefore, finds
that it cannot pledge itself to submit a difference to a court, in
the election of the judges of which it does not participate, and
considers itself to be entitled to declare in each case, in
accordance with the provision referred to above, that it desires to
submit the difference to some other competent tribunal beside the
Permanent Court of Arbitration.
I should be much obliged to ascertain whether your Government concurs
in this standpoint adopted by the Estonian Government with regard to
the interpretation of the draft Treaty.
I avail myself [etc.]
