[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
C.O.
16765
OPIUM.
!REOP
Rec 8 MAY 14]
[April 18.]
(
CONFIDENTIAL.
SECTION 1.
[16954]
No. 1.
No. 96.) Sir,
465
Sir F. Elliot to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received April 18.)
Athens, April 11, 1914. WITH reference to your despatch No. 33 of the 3rd instant, I have the honour to state that I find that the Netherlands Minister has already addressed a short note to the Greek Government urging them to withdraw the reservation which they propose to attach to their signature of the Opium Convention. I have therefore addressed to them a note of similar purport, copy of which I have the honour to enclose.
The American Minister has sent in a longer and more argumentative note, and the Russian and French Ministers have also made representations.
(Confidential.)
My Dutch colleague informs me that, there having been some ontery in Germany against the signature of the convention by the German Government, the latter have declined to make any fresh representations here, and, further, that the Austro- Hungarian Government have refused to sign the convention at all.
I have, &c.
Enclosure in No. 1.
F. ELLIOT.
M. le Ministre,
Sir F. Elliot to M. Streit.
Athens, April 11 (March 29), 1911. HIS Britannic Majesty's Government have had knowledge of the note dated the 23rd December, 1913 (5th January, 1914), in which your Excellency informed the Netherlands Minister at Athens that the Hellenic Government are ready to sign the Opium Convention of 1012, but only with the reservation that they cannot under- take at present any obligation with regard to the cultivation and production of opium. His Majesty's Government have learnt with great regret this attitude of the Hellenic Government, and have instructed me to lead earnest support to the fresh representations which have been made by my colleague M. de Sturler, and to impress upon your Excellency the desirability of withdrawing a reservation which tends to render nugatory the signatures of the other parties to the convention, and to negative the application of a humanitarian measure accepted by the whole of the civilised world.
I have, &c.
[2103 B-1]
F. ELLIOT.