CO129-406 - Public Offices - 1913 — Page 277

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PERU.

The Peruvian Government has not yet replied to the repeated request of the Government of the Netherlands to sign the Convention.

ROUMANIA.

In a note of February 25, 1913, the Minister for Foreign Affairs at Bucharest informed the Minister of the Netherlands in that city that the findings of the International Opium Conference had been submitted to examination by competent Roumanian authorities in order that the Royal Government might be enabled to announce whether it was able to sign the Convention. The Minister added that the Roumanian Government at that time was unable to state the date at which such investigations would be concluded or to anticipate its decision.

SERVIA.

The Servian Government has not yet replied to the repeated request of the Government of the Netherlands to sign the Convention.

SWEDEN.

The Swedish Government has not yet officially replied to the invitation of the Netherlands to sign the Convention.

SWITZERLAND.

See the letter of the Federal Council of October 25, 1912.

TURKEY.

See the letter of His Exe. Mr. GABRIEL NORADOUNGHAN Of November 30, 1912.

URUGUGAY.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs at Montevideo informed the Minister of the Netherlands on February 1, 1913, that the Government of Uruguay would sign the Convention. This signature has however not yet taken place,

Mr. Chargé d'Affaires :

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Berne October 25, 1912.

In a note of February 20" last, His Exc. Mr. VAN PANHUYS kindly, trans mitted to us the text of the International Opium-Convention concluded at the Hague on January 23, 1912, between the representatives of twelve Powers, i. e. : Germany, China, United States of America, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Persia, Portugal, Russia and Siam. At the same time we were informed of the desire of the Government of the Netherlands that Switzerland should adhere to this Convention and should designate a Delegate instructed to sign the protocol which remains open at the Hague in accordance with article 22 of the Convention.

We have examined with the greatest interest the documents which have been communicated to us and we highly appreciate the motives of moral and social order which have led to the conclusion of the new Convention. Never- theless, we believe that the cooperation that Switzerland is able to lend to the Contracting Powers will be almost valueless and this fact seems to render our adhesion to the Opium Convention superfluous.

Indeed, Switzerland, not being a country which produces opium, does not export this drug and consequently has not undertaken to regulate and supervise this exportation; furthermore the use of opium, other than medicinally, does not yet exist here and the morals of our people do not presuppose a change in this regard. Finally, the use of opium and of its alkaloids and also the use of cocaine for medicinal purposes is strictly regulated by our National Pharma- copacia and by our cantonal laws. Therefore, we do not think it possible to proceed further in this direction than we have done. As regards certain factories of chemical product which manufacture morphine and cocaine, their supervision appertains tho the cantonal authorities and the Federal Government is in no way authorized to regulate this matter.

We therefore believe, as we have above said, that the adhesion of Switzer- land to the Opium Convention would be almost valueless under the present circumstances and we beg you so to informe your Government, while presenting to it our sincere thanks for the invitation that it has kindly addressed to us.

Accept, etc.

For the Swiss Federal Council:

The President of the Confederation,

FORRER.

The Chancellor of the Confederation, SCHATZMANN.

MR. MOSSELMANS, Charge of the Netherlands,

Berne.

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