Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, 1929, Volume II

Treaty Series No. 817

Conciliation Treaty Between the United States of America and Estonia, Signed at Tallinn, August 27, 1929¹⁵

The President of the United States of America and the Head of the Estonian Republic, being desirous to strengthen the bonds of amity and bind them together and also to advance the cause of general peace, have resolved to enter into a treaty for that purpose, and to that end have appointed as their plenipotentiaries:

• The President of the United States of America:
• Mr. F. W. B. Coleman, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary,
• The Head of the Estonian Republic:
• Mr. J. Lattik, Minister for Foreign Affairs,

Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found to be in proper form, have agreed upon and concluded the following articles:

Article I

Any disputes arising between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Estonia, of whatever nature they may be, shall, when ordinary diplomatic proceedings have failed and the High Contracting Parties do not have recourse to adjudication by a competent tribunal, be submitted for investigation and report to a permanent International Commission constituted in the manner prescribed in the next succeeding Article; and they agree not to declare war or begin hostilities during such investigation and before the report is submitted.

Article II

The International Commission shall be composed of five members, to be appointed as follows: One member shall be chosen from each country, by the Government thereof; one member shall be chosen by each Government from some third country; the fifth member shall be chosen by common agreement between the two Governments, it being understood that he shall not be a citizen of either country. The expenses of the Commission shall be paid by the two Governments in equal proportions.

The International Commission shall be appointed within six months after the exchange of ratifications of this treaty; and vacancies shall be filled according to the manner of the original appointment.

Article III

In case the High Contracting Parties shall have failed to adjust a dispute by diplomatic methods, and they do not have recourse to adjudication by a competent tribunal, they shall at once refer it to the International Commission for investigation and report. The International Commission may, however, spontaneously by unanimous agreement offer its services to that effect, and in such case it shall notify both Governments and request their cooperation in the investigation.

The High Contracting Parties agree to furnish the Permanent International Commission with all the means and facilities required for its investigation and report.

The report of the Commission shall be completed within one year after the date on which it shall declare its investigation to have begun, unless the High Contracting Parties shall limit or extend the time by mutual agreement. The report shall be prepared in triplicate; one copy shall be presented to each Government, and the third retained by the Commission for its files.

The High Contracting Parties reserve the right to act independently on the subject matter of the dispute after the report of the Commission shall have been submitted.

Article IV

The present treaty shall be ratified by the President of the United States of America by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by Estonia in accordance with its constitutional laws.

The ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington as soon as possible, and the treaty shall take effect on the date of the exchange of the ratifications. It shall thereafter remain in force continuously unless and until terminated by one year’s written notice given by either High Contracting Party to the other.

In faith thereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this treaty in duplicate in the English language and hereunto affix their seals.

Done at Tallinn the 27th day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty nine.

F. W. B. Coleman

[seal]

J. Latik

[seal]

15. Ratification advised by the Senate, January 20, 1930 (legislative day of January 6, 1930); ratified by the President, January 23, 1930; ratified by Estonia, May 13, 1930; ratifications exchanged at Washington, June 18, 1930; proclaimed by the President, June 25, 1930.