CO129-405 - Public Offices - 1913 — Page 296

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INTER-DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON THE QUESTION OF THE RATIFIC-

ATION OF THE OPIUM CONVENTION.

The Inter-Departmental Committee which met on May 5th had

before them a telegram from His Majesty's Minister at the

Hague in which it was stated that the Conference might be

postponed till the autumn.

Though the Committee are of opinion that the British Del-

egates should be instructed that His Majesty's Goverment are

not at present prepared to proceed to the deposit of ratifio-

ations they consider it most desirable that the original in- tention of the Netherlands Government should be maintained, and that a Conference should be held if possible in June.

Such a Conference would enable the Signatory States not

only to review the position created by the additional signat-

ures which have been affixed to the Convention since the last

Conference, but also to concert measures to secure the sig-

natures of countries which have either refused to sign or

have for the present abstained from doing so.

The replies of these countries to the overtures of the

Netherlands Government, so far as they have been submitted to

the Committee, reveal the existence of misunderstandings as to the provisions and purport of the Convention, which would spon in certain cases capable of being overcome. In these circumstances the Committee are disposed to suggest that the time has arrived when action on the part of the Netherlands

Government may usefully be applemented by action taken joint-

ly by the 8ignatory Powers. It seems to the Committes that

time would be saved in arriving at a decision as to the most

appropriate action to

take if

if the Bignatory Powers were to

meet