Details: of: the Modus Vivendi Arranged Pending a Treaty London, Apr. 14.
Referring to the negotiations ch had been proceeding for the purpose of concluding a temporary Qommercial agreement with Ru serve as a modus vivendi pending conclusion of a full treaty, Mfr.
hugh Dalton, Under-Secretary of fate for Foreign Affairs, declared the House of Commons to-day Mat although certain points remain-to be settled, an agreement had)
yen reached onthe main features.
'The instrument, he said, would Provide generally' for a reciprocal rant of most favoured nation treat-mut in respect of trade and of Gational treatment, subject to cer-fin exceptions in respect of ship-Bing. It would also accord the Boviet Government the right to Qstablish in London a trade delega-fon consisting of the trade repretative of the Union of Soviet facialist Republics and of two deputies from the Soviet Embassy. The head of this delegation and the we deputies would consequently receive diplomatic privileges.
Tmmunity, ko continued, would fse attach "to the specified offices ogeupied by the delegation and used agtusvly for commercial pupa diplomatic privileges accorded by the agreement could not, how-@¥er, be claimed in connection with proceedings before the courts respect of commercial trans-Actions entered into by the delega-'Hon in this countts Tt was hoped, he continued, to Doing this temporary agreement—which would be subject to denuncia on at six months' notice and only valid pending the conclusion of a full treaty of commerce and navigatlon—into operation at an early date.
Mr, Dalton added that the Foreign Secretary contemplated negotia-Hlons for a full commercial treaty: and that those for the settlement of claims and debts would proceed concurrently, Apr. 15.
Mr, Arthur Henderson, the British Foreign Secretary, and M. Sokolnikoff, the Russian Ambassador to London, this afternoon signed, 4g the Cabinet room of the Foreign Ose, the temporary commercial agreement between the British and ian Governments, who agreement is to serve aa a dus vivendi pending the conclusion of a final treaty. Under the agreement the high contracting Warties accord most favoured nation treatment to the subjects and citizens of each nation and to the national produce and manu. factures of each country, with the following exceptions (1)—Special provision relating} to trade contained in the treaties concluded by the Soviet Union: with the States which, in August, 1914, formed an integral part of the former Russian Empive and with the continental border states in Asia.
(2)—Rights accorded to any third country forming part of Union with the]
Journal, Any question arising from the commercial transactions entered into in Great Britain by the trade delegation shall be setted by British Courts, National treatment is accorded in the agreement to vessels, cargoes and passengers of each ' country, and most favoured nation treatment as regards coasting trade, subject to certain reservations regarding trade between two ports on the same coast, Excluded from these_provisions are fishing rights immigrants, emigrants and pilgrims and. ships cargoes. and passengers registered in British self-governing dominions.
The provisions of the agreement: ray, by mutual agreement, be ex-JRended to the British self-governing dominions by simple exchange of notes, and they may also be extended on a condition of reciprocity to any of the British Colonies, Possessions, Protectorates anid Mandated Territories, if the Soviet Government is so motificd by the British Ambassador at Moscow. In this event the Soviet trading orsapizations may send thither similar Agents, acceptable to the Government concerned, to carry out comwereial transactions.
Such agents shall have no diplomatic or Consular privileges or immunities. "It is provided that produce is accorded most nation treatment in the British Dominions and other Overseas. territories which have not adhered to the agreement, the Soviet Union will accord reeiprocity, reserving to itself the right denounce these provisions "in respect of any Dominion or India.
The agreement shall remain in force until the entry into force of commercial treaty, subject to the right of either party to denounce it or any arrangements entered into between the Soviet Government and. the British Dominions or other overseas territories, at six months' notice, In the annexed protocol it is stated that the contracting parties re animated by an intention to minate from their economic relations all form of—diserimination and will be guided only by commer cial and financial considerations, They will adopt no legislative administrative action such as would pince the trade of the other party'
position of inferiority to that of any other foreign country. accordance with the above principle, trade between Britain. and Russia shall be eligible for scorsideration on the same basis as trade between, Brith and other} foreign countries connection in with any legal tive measures taken by the British Government for the granting of 5 to facilitate such trade.
Signature of the agreement was gecompanied by a declaration by' Mr. Henderson that the Union of South Africa and the Irish Free State were excluded from the provisions relating to the Dominions.
Apr. 17.
(B)—Privileges accorded the Soviet Union to the border states with respect to local trade 4 Between inhabitants of frontier zones.
The Writish Government agreed, in view of the State monopoly in foreign trade in Russia, to accord the Soviet Government the right fo establish in Great Britain a delegation consisting of a trade re-Tog part of the Soviet Embas presentative and two deputies form-
hess three persons are to be accorded all diplomatic privileges and and similar ni munity. shall attach to the effies Seeupied by the Russian trade delegation in London which are to be used exclusively. for commercial functions—to facilitate and "courage the development of trade Dotween the two countries and to represent the interests of the Soviet Union in all that pertains trade, The delegation shall be respon sible for all transaction concluded by, the Russian trade representative ahd persons authorized by him, but not for acts of the State economic organizations except when such Responsibility has been clearly ecepted by the trade representative. The names of the trade representa-iyo and persons empowered to represent him shall be periodically Dublisued in the Board of Trade It was stated in the House Gommons to-day that the Home. Secretary, Mr. J. R._ Clynes, had now received a list of the persons dismissed from Soviet organizations in Great Britain and ordered by the Soviet Government to return to Russia, It was announced that an inquiry into the position of these persons was being pursued Wireless through Reuter.
A Few diplomatic Remarks Moscow, Apr. 15.
Addressing the British section of the All-Union Western Chamber of, Commerce, Bf. Litvinoff, the Commissar for Foreign Affairs, said that commercial relations could not develop satisfactorily in the absence of a commercial treaty. Therefore he was gratified at the impending Anglo-Soviet_ Commercial Agreement.
'Sit Edmund Ovey, the British Ambassador, added a' fow diplomatic remarks.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.