Ext.6630/42.
WITH THE COMPLIMENTS
OF THE
UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE ·
FOR INDIA.
7'DEC 1042
304 and 296. Groups
157
195
Cypher telegram from Secretary of State to . Government of India, External Affairs Department, dated 6th December, 1942.
20903.
X X X
SECRÉ T
My telegram No.20286 of 25th November. China Treaty. H.M. Ambassador Chungking was instructed on 30th November to reply to the Chinese on the following lines:-
(a) We have rejected additional Article proposed by Chinese, but have suggested instead insertion in preamble of the words, "Being desirous of defining more clearly the general relations between them in a spirit of friendship on a basis of equality and in accordance with modern international practice".
(b) Further instructions regarding Kowloon will follow.
(c) United States Government are agreeing to omission of reference to commerce in second sentence of Article 6 as they are unable to reciprocate on account of difficulties of State and Federal Legislation. We are, however, telling the Chinese that we object strongly to the proposed omission, that we attach importance to obtaining national treatment in this matter, which we are entitled to claim on a basis of equality and reciprocity, but that we are ready to insert at the beginning of the second sentence of this Article the words "Pending the conclusion of the comprehensive treaty mentioned in Article 8".
We accept alteration in Article 7 regarding location of
(a) Consuls.
¡ :
2. We are suggesting in addition a draft exchange of notes, of which following are principle points:-
(a) Relinquishment by ourselves of all existing treaty rights relating to system of treaty ports, in return for treatment for overseas merchant shipping, pending conclusion of comprehensive. treaty, not less favourable than that accorded to national vessels or the vessels of thy foreign country, on a rociprocal basis.
Prew Ref: 1.0 Lattles d/- 24.0·42
No Ext 6282/42.
(b)/