CO129-464 - Public Offices - 1920 — Page 267

(This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

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- 2FEB 1920 COL OFFICE

RE:

REC' 2 MLB 20

[January 21.]

SECTION 1.

No. 1.

(No. 23.) Sir,

Barl Curzon to Sir L. Carnegie.

Foreign Office, January 21, 1920. AGREEMENTS have in recent years been concluded between the Government of India and the Governments of Siam, the Dutch East Indies, Hong Kong, the Straits Settlements, and British North Borneo, whereby the export of Indian opium to those countries takes place under a system of direct sales to the Governments of the importing countries, which state the amount of their legitimate annual requirements and thus relieve the Government of ludia of any suspicion of supplying excessive quantities. As will be seen from the attached India Office letter of the 3rd October, and my despatches to Tokyo and Paris of the 17th November, an extension of this system to Japan and Indo-China has lately been proposed to the Japanese and French Governments. The Government of India are now desirous of effecting its further extension to Macao, and I enclose copy of a letter from the India Office,* requesting that negotiations may be opened with the Portuguese Government to this end.

Copies are also enclosed of correspondence that has passed between this Department and the India Office on the question of the desirability of taking this opportunity to effect a reduction in the amount of Indian opium which may, according to the existing arrangements, be exported annually to Macao +

I request you will approach the Portuguese Government in accordance with the lesire expressed by the India Office and enquire whether they would be prepared to negotiate a fresh agreement with His Majesty's Government on bealf of the Government of India on the lines proposed, embodying the modifications suggested in the India Office letter of the 5th January.

I am, &c.

CURZON OF KEDLESTON.

!

• India Office, November 22, 1919.

+ To India Office, December 2, 1919. India Office, January 3, 1920.

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