[F 591/25/10 ]
11483
...D
CONTROL OF THE EXPORT OF NARCOTE
COTH'S, TO-FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
Sir,
Foreign Office.
March 1, 1921.
REPLIES of a favourable character have now been received from a considerable my circular number of His Majesty's representatives abroad to the enquiry made in despatch of the 22nd March last, as to whether the countries to which they were accredited would enter into an arrangement with His Majesty's Government similar to that already in existence with the French, United States and Japanese Govern- ments for the regulation of the trade in narcotics. Certain points of difficulty have, however, arisen, and the notes set forth below have accordingly been prepared for your information and guidance. On receipt of this despatch you should take such further action as may be necessary, and you should in any case report briefly how matters stand.
I. EXPLANATION OF THE POSITION IN THE CASE OF FRANCE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND JAPAN.
2. The arrangement with France was made as the result of a Note to the French Ambassador dated the 25th Angust. 1919, in which it was stated that it would be "of considerable assistance to the Department concerned if the French Government could make arrangements for some Government Department to issue certificates in all cases of consignments covered by the Opium Convention to the effect that the drugs are exclusively required in France for medical or scientific purposes only. The Department would then be in a position to establish that the consignments of such drugs which the United Kingdom is allowing to be exported are bona fide medical consignments and are not required in France for illicit purposes or for re-export
3. In a note dated the 17th September following, the French Chargé d'Affaires replied that
"le Ministre du Commerce a accepté la suggestion présentée dans cette communication.
"Désormais les maisons françaises désireuses d'acheter en Angleterre de la morphine, de la codéine ou de l'opium devront, d'abord, prouver à l'Office des Produits chimiques et pharmaceutiques du Ministère du Commerce (Service technique, 3 Section) que les produits qu'elles veulent importer ne sont destinés qu'à des besoins médicaux ou scientifiques.
"Lorsque l'Office précité aura acquis cette certitude. il délivrera un certificat ad hoc que l'intéressé français n'aura plus qu'à transmettre à ses vendeurs anglais pour que ceux-ci puissent le produire aux Autorités britanniques."
His Majesty's Representative
at
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