Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Consular Rights between Latvia and the United States of America

The Republic of Latvia and the United States of America, desirous of strengthening the bond of peace which happily prevails them, by arrangements designed to promote friendly intercourse between their respective territories through provisions responsive to the spiritual, cultural, economic and commercial aspirations of the peoples thereof, have resolved to conclude a Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Consular Rights and for that purpose have appointed as their plenipotentiaries:

The President at the Republic of Latvia:

Antons Balodis, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and

The President of the United States of America:

Frederick W.B.Coleman, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.

Who, having communicated to each other their full powers found to be in due form, have agreed upon the following articles:

Article I.

The nationals of each of the High Contracting parties shall be permitted to enter, travel and reside in the territories of the other; to exercise liberty of conscience and freedom of worship; to engage in scientific, religious. philanthropic and commercial work of every kind without interference: to carry on every form of commercial activity which is not forbidden by the local law: to engage in every trade, vocation, manufacturing industry and profession, not reserved exclusively to nationals of the country; to own, erect or lease and occupy appropriate buildings and to lease lands for residential, scientific, religious, philanthropic, manufacturing, commercial and mortuary purposes; to employ agents of their choice, and generally to do anything incidental to or necessary for the enjoyment of any of the foregoing privileges upon the terms as nationals of the State of residence or as nationals of the nation hereafter to be most favored by if, submitting themselves to all local laws and regulations duly established.

The nationals of either High Contracting Party within the territories of the other shall not be subjected to the payment of any internal charges or taxes other or higher than those that are exacted of and paid by its nationals.

The nationals of each High Contracting party shall enjoy freedom of access to the courts of justice of other on conforming to the local laws, as well for the prosecution as for the defense of their rights, and in all degrees of jurisdiction established by law.

The nationals of each High Contracting party shall receive within the territories of the other, upon submitting to conditions imposed upon its nationals, the most constant protection and security for their persons and property, and shall enjoy in this respect that degree of protection that is required by international law. Their property shall not be taken without due process of law and without payment of just compensation.

Nothing contained in this Treaty shall be construed to affect existing statutes of either of the High Contracting Parties in relation to the immigration, admission or sojourn of aliens or the right of either of the High Contracting Parties to enact such statutes.

Article II.

With respect to that form of protection granted by National, State or Provincial laws establishing civil liability for injuries or for death, and giving to relatives or heirs or dependents of an injured party a right of action or a pecuniary benefit, such relatives or heirs or dependents of the injured party, himself a national of either of the High Contracting Parties and within any of the territories of the other, shall regardless of their alienage or residence outside of the territory where the injury occurred, enjoy the same rights and privileges as are or may be granted to nationals, and under like conditions.

Article III.

The dwellings, warehouses, manufactures, shops, and other places of business, and all premises thereto appertaining of the nationals of each of the High Contracting Parties in the territories of the other, used for any purposes set forth in Article I, shall be respected. It shall not be allowable to make a domiciliary visit to, or search of, any such buildings and premises, or there to examine and inspect books, papers or accounts except under the conditions and in conformity with the forms prescribed by the laws, ordinances and regulations for nationals.

Article IV.

Where, on the death of any person holding real or other immovable property or interests therein within the territories of one High Contracting Party, such property or interests therein would, by the laws of the country or by a testamentary disposition, descend or pass to a national of the other High Contracting Party, whether resident or non-resident, were he not disqualified by the laws of the country where such property or interests therein is or are situated, such national shall be allowed a term of three years in which to sell the same which term may be reasonably prolonged if circumstances render it necessary and withdraw the proceeds thereof, without restraint or interference, and exempt from any succession, probate or administrative duties or charges other than those which may be imposed in like cases upon the nationals of the country from which such proceeds may be drawn.

Nationals of either High Contracting Party may have full power to dispose of their personal property of every kind within the territories of the other, by testament, donation, or otherwise, and their heirs, legatees and donees, of whatsoever nationality, whether resident or non-resident, shall succeed to such personal property, and may take possession thereof, either by themselves or by others acting for them, and retain or dispose of the same at their pleasure subject to the payment of such duties or charges only as the nationals of the High Contracting Party within whose territories such property may be or belong shall be liable to pay in like cases.

Article V.

The nationals of each of the High Contracting Parties in the exercise of the rights of freedom of worship, within the territories of the other, as hereinabove provided, may, without annoyance or molestation of any kind by reason of their religious belief or otherwise, conduct services either within their own houses or within any appropriate buildings which they may be at liberty to erect and maintain in convenient situations provided their teachings or practices are not contrary to public order or public morals; and they may also be permitted to bury their dead according to their religious customs in suitable and convenient places established and maintained for the purpose, subject to the reasonable mortuary and sanitary laws and regulations of the place of burial.

Article VI.

In the event of war between either High Contracting Party and a third State, such Party may draft for compulsory military service nationals of the other having a permanent residence within its territories and who have formally, according to its laws, declared an intention to adopt its nationality by naturalization, unless such individuals depart from the territories of said belligerent party within sixty days after a declaration of war.

Article VII.

Between the territories of the High Contracting Parties there shall be freedom of commerce and navigation. The nationals of each of the High Contracting Parties equally with those of the most favored nation, shall have liberty freely to come with their vessels and cargoes to all places, ports and waters of every kind within the territorial limits of the other which are or may be open to foreign commerce and navigation.

Each of the High Contracting Parties binds itself unconditionally to impose no higher or other duties or conditions and no prohibition on the importation of any article, the growth, produce, or manufacture, of the territories of the other than are or shall be imposed on the importation of any like article, the growth, produce, or manufacture of any other foreign country.

Each of the High Contracting Parties also binds itself unconditionally to impose no higher or other charges or other restrictions or prohibitions on goods exported to the territories of the other High Contracting Party than are imposed on goods exported to any other foreign country.

Nothing in this Treaty shall be construed to restrict the right of either High Contracting Party to impose, on such terms as it may see fit, prohibitions or restrictions relating to national defense, public security and public order: prohibitions or restrictions of a sanitary character designed to protect human, animal or plant life: regulations for the enforcement of police or revenue laws.

Any advantage of whatsoever kind which either High Contracting Party may extend to any article, the growth, produce, or manufacture of any other foreign country shall simultaneously and unconditionally, without request and without compensation, be extended to the like article, the growth, produce, or manufacture of the other High Contracting Party.

All articles which are or may be legally imported from foreign countries into ports of Latvia or are or may be legally exported therefrom in Latvian vessels may likewise be imported into those ports or exported therefrom in vessels of the United States, without being liable to any other or higher duties or charges whatsoever than if such articles were imported or exported in Latvian vessels; and reciprocally, all articles which are or may be legally imported from foreign countries into the ports of the United States or are or may be legally exported therefrom in vessels of the United States may likewise be imported into these ports or exported therefrom in Latvian vessels without being liable to any other or higher duties or charges whatsoever than if such articles were imported or exported in vessels of the United States.

In the same manner there shall be perfect reciprocal equality in relation to the flags of the two countries with regard to bounties, drawbacks, and other privileges of this nature of whatever denomination which may be allowed in the territories of each of the High Contracting Parties , m: goods imported or exported in national vessels so that such bounties, drawbacks and other privileges shall also and in like manner be allowed on goods imported or exported in vessels of the other country.

With respect to the amount and collection of duties on imports and exports of every kind, each of the two High Contracting Parties binds itself to give to the nationals, vessels and goods of the other the advantage of every favor, privilege or immunity which it shall have accorded to the nationals, vessels and goods of a third State, and regardless of whether such favored State shall have been accorded such treatment gratuitously or in return for reciprocal compensatory treatment. Every such favor, privilege or immunity which shall hereafter be granted the nationals, vessels or goods of a third State shall simultaneously and unconditionally, without request and without compensation, be extended in the other High Contracting Party, for the benefit of itself, its nationals and vessels.

Article VIII.

The stipulations of Article VII of this Treaty shall not extend:

a) To the treatment which either High Contracting Party shall accord to purely border traffic within a zone not exceeding ten miles (15 kilometers) wide on either side of its custom frontier;

b) To the treatment which is accorded by the United States to the commerce of Cuba under the provisions of the Commercial Convention concluded by United States and Cuba on December 11th, 1902, or any other commercial convention which hereafter may be concluded by the United States with Cuba, or to the commerce of the United States with any its dependencies and the Panama Canal Zone under existing or future laws;

c) To the customs preferences or other facilities of whatever nature which are or may be granted by Latvia in favor of Estonia, Finland, Lithuania or Russia and or to the special privileges resulting to States in customs or economic union with Latvia so long as such preferences, facilities or special privileges are not accorded to any other State.

Article IX.

The nationals and merchandise of each High Contracting Party within the territories of the other shall receive the same treatment as nationals and merchandise of the country with regard to internal taxes, transit duties, charges in respect to warehousing and other facilities and the amount of drawbacks and bounties.

Article X.

No duties of tonnage, harbour, pilotage, lighthouse, quarantine, or other similar or corresponding duties or charges of whatever denomination, levied in the name or for the profit of the Government, public functionaries, private individuals, corporations or establishments of any kind shall be imposed in the ports of the territories of either country upon the vessels of the other, which shall not equally, under the same conditions, be imposed on national vessels. Such equality of treatment shall apply reciprocally to the vessels of the two countries respectively from whatever place they may arrive and whatever may be their place of destination.

Article XI.

Merchant vessels and other privately owned under the flag of either of the High Contracting Parties, and carrying the papers required by its nationals laws in proof of nationality shall, both within the territorial waters of the other High Contracting Party and on the high seas, be deemed to be the vessels of the Party whose flag is flown.

Article XII.

Merchant vessels and other privately owned vessels under the flag of either of the High Contracting Parties shall he permitted to discharge portions of cargoes at any port open to foreign commerce in the territories of the other High Contracting Party, and to proceed with the remaining portions of such cargoes to any other ports of the same territories open to foreign commerce, without paying other or higher tonnage dues or port charges in such cases than would be paid by national vessels in like circumstances, and they shall be permitted to load in like manner in different ports in the same voyage outward, provided, however, that the coasting trade and the towing service of the Republic of Latvia and the United States are exempt from the provisions of this Article and from the other provisions of this Treaty, and are to be regulated according to the laws of the Republic of Latvia and the United States, respectively, in relation thereto. It is agreed, however, that the nationals of either High Contracting Party shall within the territories of the other enjoy with respect to the coasting trade and the towing service the most favored nation treatment.

The provisions of this Treaty relating to the mutual concession of national treatment in matters of navigation do not apply to special privileges reserved by either High Contracting Party for the fishing industry and for the national ship-building industry.

Article XIII.

Limited liability and other corporations and associations, whether or not for pecuniary profit, which have been or may hereafter be organized in accordance with and maintain a central office within the territories thereof, shall have their juridical status recognized by the other High Contracting Party provided that they pursue no aims within its territories contrary to its laws. They shall enjoy free access to the courts of laws and equity, on conforming to the laws regulating the matter, as well for the prosecution as for defense of rights in all the degrees of jurisdiction established by law.

The right of such corporations and associations of either High Contracting Party so recognized by the other to establish themselves within its territories, establish branch offices and fulfil their functions therein shall depend upon, and be governed solely by, the consent of such Party as expressed in its National, State or Provincial laws and regulations.

Article XIV.

The nationals of either High Contracting Party shall enjoy within the territories of the other, reciprocally and upon compliance with the conditions there imposed, such rights and privileges as have been or may hereafter be accorded the nationals of any other State with respect to the organization of and participation in limited liability and other corporations and associations, for pecuniary profit or otherwise, included the rights of promotion, incorporation, purchase and ownership and sale of shares and the holding of executive or official positions therein. In the exercise of the foregoing rights and with respect to the regulation or procedure concerning the organization or conduct of such corporations or associations, such nationals shall be subjected to no conditions less favorable than those which have been or may hereafter be imposed upon the nationals of the most favored nation. The rights of any of such corporations or associations as may be organized or controlled or participated in by the nationals of either High Contracting Party within the territories of the other to exercise any of their functions therein, shall be governed by the laws and regulations. National, State or Provincial, which are in force or may hereafter be established within the territories of the Party wherein they propose to engage in business. The foregoing stipulations do not apply to the organization of and participation in political associations.

The nationals of either High Contracting Party shall, moreover, enjoy within the territories of the other, reciprocally and upon compliance with the conditions there imposed, such rights and privileges as have been or may hereafter be accorded the nationals of any other State with respect to the mining of coal, phosphate, oil, oil shale, gas, and sodium on the public domain of the other.

Article XV.

Commercial travelers representing manufactures, merchants and traders domiciled in the territories of either High Contracting Party shall on their entry into and sojourn in the territories of the other Party and on their departure therefrom be accorded the most favored nation treatment in respect of customs and other privileges and of all charges and taxes of whatever denomination applicable to them or their samples.

If either High Contracting Party require the presentation of an authentic document establishing the identity and authority of a commercial traveler, a signed statement by the concern or concerns represented, certified by a consular officer of the country of destination, shall be accepted as satisfactory.

Article XVI.

There shall be complete freedom of transit through the territories including territorial waters of each High Contracting Party on the routes most convenient for international transit, by rail, navigable waterway, and canal, other than the Panama Canal and waterways and canals which constitute international boundaries, to persons and goods coming from, going to or passing through the territories of the other High Contracting Party, except such persons as may be forbidden admission into its territories or goods of which the importation may be prohibited by law or regulations. The measures of a general or particular character which either of the High Contraction Parties is obliged to take in case of an emergency affecting the safety of the State or the vital interests of the country may in exceptional cases and for as short a period as possible involve a deviation from the provisions of this paragraph; it being understood that the principle of freedom of transit must be observed to the utmost possible extent.

Persons and goods in transit shall not be subjected to any transit duty, or to any unnecessary delays or restrictions, or to any discrimination as regards charges, facilities or any other matters.

Goods in transit must be entered at the proper custom house, but they shall be exempt from all customs or other similar duties.

All charges imposed on transport in transit shall be reasonable, having regard to the conditions of the traffic.

Article XVII.

Each of High Contracting Parties agrees to receive from the consular officers in those of its ports, places and cities, where it may be convenient and which are open to consular representatives of any foreign country.

Consular officers of each of the High Contracting Parties shall, after entering upon their duties, enjoy reciprocally in the territories of the other all the rights, privileges, exemptions and immunities which are enjoyed by officers of the same grade of the most favored nation. As official agents, such officers shall be entitled to the high consideration of all officials, national or local, with whom they have official intercourse in the State which receives them.

The Government of each of the High Contracting Parties shall furnish free of charge the necessary exequatur of such consular officer of the other as present a regular commission signed by the chief executive of the appointing State and under its great seal; and it shall issue to a subordinate or substitute consular officer duly appointed by an accepted superior consular officer with the approbation of this Government, or by any other competent officer of that Government, such documents as according to the laws of the respective countries shall be requisite for the exercise by the appointee of the consular function. On the exhibition of an exequatur, or other document issued in lieu thereof to such subordinate, such consular officer shall be permitted to enter upon his duties and to enjoy the rights, privileges and immunities granted by this Treaty.

Article XVIII.

Consular officers, nationals of the State by which they are appointed, shall be exempt from arrest except when charted with the commission of offenses locally designated as crimes other than misdemeanors and subjecting the individual guilty thereof to punishment. Such officers shall he exempt from military billetings and from service of any military or naval, administrative or police character whatsoever.

In criminal cases the attendance at the trial by a consular officer as a witness may be demanded by the prosecution or defense. The demand shall be made with all possible regard for the consular dignity and the duties of the office; and there shall be compliance on the part of the consular officer.

Consular officers shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts in the State which receives them in civil cases, subject to the proviso, however, that when the officer is a national of the State which appoints him and is engaged in no private occupation for gain, his testimony shall be taken orally or in writing at his residence or office and with due regard for his convenience. The officer should, however, voluntarily give his testimony at the trial whenever it is possible to do so without serious interference with his official duties.

Article XIX.

Consular officers, including employees in a consulate, nationals of the State by which they are appointment other than those engaged in private occupations for gain within the State where they exercise their functions shall be exempt from all taxes, National, State, Provincial and Municipal, levied upon their persons or upon there property, except taxes levied on account of the possession or ownership of immovable property situated in, or income derived from property of any kind situated or belonging within the territories of the State within which they exercise their functions. All consular officers and employees, nationals of the State appointing them shall be exempt from the payment of taxes on the salary, fees or wages received by them in compensation for their consular services.

Lands and buildings situated in the territories of either High Contracting Party, of which the other High Contracting Party is the legal or equitable owner and which are used exclusively for governmental purposes by that owner, shall be exempt from taxation of every kind, National, State, Provincial and Municipal, other than assessments levied for services or local public improvements by which the premises are benefited.

Article XX.

Consular officers may place over the outer door of their respective offices the arms of their State with an appropriate inscription designating the official office. Such officers may also hoist the flag of their country on their offices including those situated in the capitals of the two countries. They may likewise hoist such flag over any boat or vessel employed in the exercise of the consular function.

The consular offices and archives shall at times be inviolable. They shall under no circumstances be subjected to invasion by any authorities of any character within the country where such offices are located. Nor shall the authorities under any pretext make an examination or seizure of papers or other property deposited within a consular office. Consular offices shall not be used as places of asylum. No consular officer shall be required to produce official archives in court or testily as to their contents.

Upon the death, incapacity, or absence of a consular officer having no subordinate consular officer at his post, secretaries or chancellors, whose official character may have previously been made known to the Government of the State where the consular function was exercised, may temporarily exercise the consular function of the deceased or incapacitated or absent consular officer; and while so acting shall enjoy all the rights, prerogatives and immunities granted to the incumbent.

Article XXI.

Consular officers, nationals of the State by which they are appointed, may, within their respective consular districts, address the authorities, National, State, Provincial or Municipal, for the purpose of protecting their countrymen in the enjoyment of their rights accruing by treaty or otherwise. Complaint may be made for the infraction of those rights. Failure upon the part of the proper authorities to grant redress or to accord protection may justify interposition through the diplomatic channel, and in the absence of a diplomatic representative, a consul general or the consular officer stationed at the capital may apply directly to the government of the country.

Article XXII.

Consular officers may, in pursuance of the laws of their own country, take at any appropriate place within the respective districts, the depositions of any occupants of vessels to their own country, or of any national of, or of any person having permanent residence within the territories of their own country. Such officers may draw up, attest, certify and authenticate unilateral acts, deeds, and testamentary dispositions of their countrymen, and also contracts, to which a countryman is a party. They may draw up, attest, certify and authenticate written instruments of any kind purporting to express or embody the conveyance or encumbrance of property of any kind within the territory of the State by which such officers are appointed, and unilateral acts, deeds, testamentary dispositions and contracts relating to property situated, or business to be transacted within the territories of the State by which they are appointed, embracing unilateral acts, deeds, testamentary dispositions or agreements executed solely by nationals of the State within which such officers exercise their functions.

Instruments and documents thus executed and copies and translations thereof, when duly authenticated under his official seal by the consular officer shall be received as evidence in the territories of the High Contracting Parties as original documents or authenticate copies, as the case may be, and shall have the same force and effect as if drawn by and executed before a notary or other public officer duly authorized in the country by which the consular officer was appointed; provided, always, that such documents shall have been drawn and executed in conformity to the laws and regulations of the country where they are designed to take effect.

Article XXIII.

A consular officer shall have exclusive jurisdiction over controversies arising out of the internal order of private vessels of his country, and shall alone exercise jurisdiction in cases, wherever arising, between officers and crews, pertaining to the enforcement of discipline on board, provided the vessel and the persons charged with wrongdoing shall have entered a port within his consular district. Such an officer shall also have jurisdiction over issues concerning the adjustment of wages and the execution of contracts relating thereto provided the local laws so permit.

When an act committed on board of a private vessel under the flag of the State by which the consular officer has been appointed and within the territorial waters of the State to which he has been appointed constitutes a crime according in the laws of that State, subjecting the persons guilty thereof to punishment as a criminal, the consular officer shall not exercise jurisdiction except in so far as he is permitted to do so by the local law.

A consular officer may freely invoke the assistance of he police authorities in any matter pertaining to the maintenance of internal order on board of a vessel under the flag of his country within the territorial waters of the State to which he is appointed, and upon such a request the requisite assistance shall be given.

A consular officer may appear with the officers and crews of vessels under the flag of his country before the judicial authorities of the State to which he is appointed to render assistance as an interpreter or agent.

Article XXIV.

In case of the death of a national of either High Contracting Party in the territory of the other without having in the territory of his decease any known heirs or testamentary executors by him appointed, the competent local authorities shall at once inform the nearest consular officer of the State of which the deceased was a national of the fact of his death, in order that necessary information may be forwarded to the parties interested.

In case of the death of a national of either of the High Contracting Parties without will or testament, in the territory of the other High Contracting Party, the consular officer of the State of which the deceased was a national and within whose district the deceased made his home at the time of death, shall, so far as the laws of the country permit and pending the appointment of an administrator and until letters of administration have been granted, be deemed qualified to take charge for the property left by the decedent for the preservation and the protection of the same. Such consular officer shall have the right to be appointed as administrator within the discretion of a tribunal or other agency controlling the administration of estates provided the laws of the place where the estate is administered so permit.

Whenever a consular officer accepts the office of administrator of the estate of a deceased countryman be subjects himself as such to the jurisdiction of the tribunal or other agency making the appointment for all necessary purposes to the same extent as a national of the country where he was appointed.

Article XXV.

A consular officer of either High Contracting Party may in behalf of his non-resident countrymen receipt for their distributive shares derived from estates in process of probate or accruing under the provisions of so-called Workmen's Compensation Laws or other like statutes provided he remit any funds so received through the appropriate agencies of his Government to the proper distributees, and provided further that he furnish to the authority or agency making distribution through him reasonable evidence of such remission.

Article XXVI.

A consular officer of either High Contracting Party shall have the right to inspect with the ports of he other High Contracting Party within his consular district, the private vessels of any flag destined or about to clear ports of the country appointing him in order to observe the sanitary conditions and measures taken on board such vessels, and to be enabled thereby to execute intelligently bills of health and other documents required by the laws of his country, and to inform his Government concerning the extent to which its sanitary regulations have been observed at ports of departure by vessels destined to ,its ports, with a view to facilitating entry of such vessels therein.

Article XXVII.

Each of the High Contracting Parties agrees to permit the entry free of all duty of all furniture, equipment and supplies intended for official use in the consular offices of the other, and to extend to such consular officers of the other and their families and suites as are its nationals, the privilege of entry free of duty of their baggage and all other personal property accompanying the officer to his post; provided, nevertheless that no article, the importation of which is prohibited by the law of either of the High Contracting Parties, may be brought into its territories. Personal property imported by consular officers, their families or suites during the incumbency of the officers in office shall be accorded the customs privileges and exemptions accorded to consular officers of the most favored nation.

It is understood, however, that the privilege of this Article shall not be extended to consular officers who are engaged in any private occupation for gain in the countries to which they are accredited, save with respect to government supplies.

Article XXVIII.

All proceedings relative to the salvage of vessels of either High Contracting Party wrecked upon the coasts of the other shall be directed by the consular officer of the country to which the vessel belongs and within whose district the wreck may have occurred. Pending the arrival of such officer, who shall be immediately informed of the occurrence, the local authorities shall take all necessary measures for the protection of persons and the preservation of wrecked property. The local authorities shall not otherwise interfere than for the maintenance of order, the protection of the interests of the salvors, if these do not belong to the crews that have been wrecked, and to carry into effect the arrangements made for the entry and exportation of the merchandise saved. It is understood that such merchandise is not to be subjected to any custom house charges, unless it be intended for consumption in the country where the wreak may have taken place.

The intervention of the local authorities in these different cases shall occasion no expense of any kind, except such as may be caused by the operations of salvage and the preservation of the goods saved, together with such as would be incurred under similar circumstances by vessels of the nation.

Article XXIX.

Subject to any limitation or exception hereinabove set forth, or hereafter to be agreed upon, the territories of the High Contracting Parties to which the provisions of this Treaty extend shall be understood to comprise all areas of land, water and air over which the Parties respectively claim and exercise dominion as sovereign thereof, except the Panama Canal Zone.

Article XXX.

Except as provided in the third paragraph of this Article the present Treaty shall remain in full force for the term of ten years from the date of the exchange of ratifications, on which date it shall begin to take effect in all of its provisions.

If within one year before the expiration of the aforesaid period of ten years neither High Contracting Party notifies to, the other an intention of modifying by change or omission, any of the provisions of any of the articles in this Treaty or of terminating it upon the expiration of the aforesaid period, the Treaty shall remain in full force and effect after the aforesaid period and until one year from such a time as either of the High Contracting Parties shall have notified to the other an intention of modifying or terminating the Treaty.

The sixth and seventh paragraphs of Article VII and Articles X and XII shall remain in force for twelve months from the date of exchange of ratifications, and if not then terminated on ninety days previous notice shall remain in force until either of the High Contracting Parties shall enact legislation inconsistent therewith when the same shall automatically lapse at the and of sixty days from such enactment, and on such lapse each High Contacting Party shall enjoy all the rights which it would have possessed had such paragraphs or articles not been embraced in the Treaty.

Article XXXI.

The present Treaty shall be ratified, and the ratifications thereof shall be exchanged at Riga as soon as possible.

In WITNESS WHEREOF the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same and have affixed their seals hereto.

Done in duplicate, at Riga, this 20-th day of April, 1928.

(L.S.) (L.S.)

(signed) A.Balodis (signed) F.W.B.Coleman

Protocol

Accompanying Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Consular Rights

At the moment of signing the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Consular Rights between the Republic of Latvia and the United States of America, the undersigned plenipotentiaries, duly authorized by their respective Governments, have agreed as follows:

1. The provisions of Article XVI do not prevent the High Contracting Parties from levying on traffic in transit dues intended solely to defray expenses of supervision and administration entailed by such transit, the rate which shall correspond as nearly as possible with the expenses which such dues are intended to cover shall not be higher than the rates charged on other traffic of the same class on the same routes.

2. Wherever the term "consular officer" is used in this Treaty it shall be understood to mean Consuls General, Consuls, Vice Consuls and Consular Agents to whom an exequatur or other document of recognition has been issued pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 3 of Article XVII.

3. In addition to consular officers, attachˇs, chancellors and secretaries, the number of employees to whom the privileges authorized by Article XIX shall be accorded shall not exceed five at any one post.

In WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Protocol and affixed thereto their respective seals.

Done in duplicate, at Riga, this 20-th day of April, 1928.

(L.S.) (L.S.)

(signed) A.Balodis (signed) F.W.B.Coleman