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United States Department of State / Foreign relations of the United States diplomatic papers, 1937. The British Commonwealth, Europe, Near East and Africa
(1937)
Switzerland, pp. 565-582
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Page 565
SWITZERLAND INFORMAL REPRESENTATIONS RESPECTING SWISS MEASURES FOR THE CONTROL OF IMPORTS IN ALLEGED VIOLATION OF THE RE- CIPROCAL TRADE AGREEMENT' 611.5431/548 The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) No. 3870 WASHINGTON, January 26, 1937. SIR: The Department has given careful study to the reports from the Legation and from the consular offices in Switzerland with regard to certain matters concerning the operation of the trade agreement which have been the subject of discussion with the Swiss Govern- ment. Reference is made in particular to the Swiss stamp-tax on customs receipts (Despatch No. 4595, September 23, 1936 2), the measures adopted for the control of lard imports (Despatch No. 4592, September 22, 19363) and the regime applicable to imports of Douglas fir plywood (Despatch No. 4551, August 28, 1936 2). The replies made by the Swiss Government to the Legation's repre- sentations on these subjects reveal an attitude on the part of the Swiss Government which the Department is unable to regard as other than unsatisfactory, not only from the point of view of a more liberal com- mercial policy which it was confidently expected would result from the trade agreement, but also in view of the specific commitments in the trade agreement. Since the lard and plywood cases will be treated in separate instructions, the Department wishes in this instruction to emphasize its general concern regarding the apparent failure of the Swiss Government to recognize its obligations under the agree- ment in these instances. The cases to which reference is made are not individually of far-reaching importance but the Department is loath to see an accumulation of small issues of this nature which have the effect of interfering with the operation of the agreement, or to allow certain Swiss contentions with regard to the interpretation of the agreement to go unchallenged. Continued from Foreign Relations, 1936, vol. II, pp. 804-815. For text of the reciprocal trade agreement between the United States and Switzerland, signed January 9, 1936, see Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 90, or 49 Stat. 3917. 'Not printed. Foreign Relationw, 1936, vol. II, p. 812. 565
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