double, et déclare substituer l'Etat roumain dans l'intégralité des droits résultant pour le Bureau britannique desdits actes d'achats sans réserve aucune, en déclarant que le prix a été acquitté à tous les vendeurs, sauf pour les neuf contrats d'une valeur totale de 285,071 lei 75 bani, inscrits à la fin du registre sous les Nos. 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923 et 1924 (folio 41 42). Les vendeurs de ces neuf contrats ont livré le blé vendu, mais à cause des circonstances, le prix n'a pas été acquitté par le Bureau britannique, et par conséquent il n'a pas été compris dans le prix total de la cession fixée ci-dessus, et devra être acquitté en lei par le Ministère directement aux ayants droit. Les dossiers y relatifs ont été également remis au Ministre. 3. Par l'effet de cette cession, d'une part, l'obligation de l'Etat de restituer en nature au Bureau britannique la quantité de blé qu'il lui a prêtée, se trouve éteinte par confusion, et d'autre part l'Etat roumain est substitué dans tous les droits du Bureau britannique tant vis-à-vis des vendeurs dépositaires du blé vendu qui sont sont restés responsables, que vis-à-vis des Puissances ennemis pour tous dédommagements pour le blé pris ou détruit. En conséquence, l'Etat roumain agira comme il l'entendra au mieux de ses intérêts pour faire valoir tous les droits résultant des actes d'achat de blé sauf bien entendu le blé livré au Ministère de la Guerre sans aucune immixtion ni responsabilité du Bureau britannique qui ne garantit que le fait d'avoir effectué le payement du prix aux vendeurs et le payement des taxes légales. L'Etat s'oblige à restituer à leurs propriétaires les actes originaux et les copies déposés par eux au Bureau britannique. et se trouvant dans les dossiers respectifs. 4. Le prix de la présente cession est de 5,248,985 livres sterling 18 shillings et 8 pence, représentant exactement le prix déboursé par le Bureau britannique pour le blé acheté en vertu des contrats cédés, après déduction du prix de 558 wagons 9,164 kilog. dont 500 détruits par les agents du Bureau et 58,9164 kilog. cédés à l'Armée russe, le cédant garantissant que ces quantités n'ont pas été dépassées, soit 5,320,490 livres sterling 19 shillings et 8 pence, au prix total payé, moins 71,505 livres sterling et 1 shilling, valeur des 558 wagons 9,164 kilog. restés à la charge du Bureau. En paiement de ce prix, moi F. Rattigan, je déclare au nom du Gouvernement britannique avoir reçu de l'Etat roumain 53 bons du trésor au porteur d'une valeur totale de 5,248,985 livres sterling 18 shillings et 8 pence, plus les intérêts de 5 pour cent par an jusqu'à leur échéance, fixée au 1 avril 1922; bons portant la mention qu'au cas où à l'échéance le cours de la livre sterling sera supérieur à 40 lei, l'Etat roumain aura la faculté de changer ces bons contre d'autres toujours en livres sterling portant le même intérêt à l'échéance définitive du 1" avril 1923. 5. Moi, Ministre de l'Industrie et du Commerce, au nom de l'Etat roumain déclare accepter la présente cession dans les conditions indiquées dans le présent acte, avoir reçu les originaux des actes d'achat et tout les dossiers et registres du Bureau britannique et avoir remis à M. F. Rattigan, Chargé d'Affaires de Sa Majesté britannique, les 53 bons du trésor au porteur ci-dessus spécifiés d'une valeur totale de 5,248,985 livres sterling 18 shillings et 8 pence. Fait en double à Bucarest, le 22 janvier 1920, chaque partie ayant pris un exemplaire. (L.S.) F. RATTIGAN, Chargé d'Affaires de Sa Majesté britannique. (L.S.) VICTOR BONTESCU, Ministre de l'Industrie et du Commerce. AGREEMENT between Great Britain and Russia (Soviet Government) for the Exchange of Prisoners.-Copenhagen, February 12, 1920.* THE British Government and the Russian Soviet Government, being desirous of effecting an exchange of combatant and civilian prisoners and of facilitating the return of their nationals respectively, have agreed as follows: ART. I. Repatriation of Russian Combatants.-The British Government will repatriate all Russian combatant prisoners in the British Empire or in any territory over which the British Government at present exercises direct authority II. Repatriation of Russian Civilians.-The British Government will repatriate all Russian civilians in the British Empire or in any territory where the British Government exercises direct authority, whether they are at liberty, interned or imprisoned, except those committed for grave offences, who are willing to return to Russia, and who can establish their nationality to the satisfaction of the Soviet Government. III. Repatriation of certain specified Russians.-The provisions of Article I and II will apply to Russians captured in the Caucasus or the Caspian and in Persia whose names, so far as they can be identified, appear on a list of such Parliamentary Paper, "Russia, No. 1 (1920).” persons submitted by the Soviet Government to the British Government. IV. Repatriation of Russians from Archangel.-The British Government undertakes, subject to the provisions of Article VIII, to secure the delivery to the Soviet Government of the Russian combatant prisoners and civilian officials who are in the custody of the Archangel Government and who have been captured at any time since the landing of the British forces in North Russia. This undertaking will apply to all those whose release is desired by the Soviet Government and who themselves desire to leave the territory under the control of the Archangel Government. This undertaking will include also the persons whose names appear on the list already submitted by the Soviet Government, which list is set out in Annex (A) to this Agreement, in so far as they can be identified. V. Transport Facilities.-The British Government undertakes to provide transport facilities for all persons who will be repatriated in accordance with the provisions of Articles I, II and III of this Agreement. The British Government further undertakes to render every possible assistance, so far as sea transport is concerned, if it should become necessary to do so, for the repatriation of Russian nationals who are at present either prisoners in or who are unable to leave Denmark, Holland, Belgium and Switzerland, subject to the consent of those Governments to the repatriation of the persons concerned. The British Government further undertakes to make representations to the Governments of the Baltic States for the granting of the necessary facilities for the safe conveyance of all persons who are to be repatriated in accordance with the provisions of the foregoing articles. VI. Proposed International Commission in Berlin.-In the event of the establishment of an International Commission in Berlin for the repatriation of Russian prisoners of war in Germany, the British Government undertakes to support, so far as it lies within its power to do so, the claims of the Soviet Government to be represented on such a Commission and to have equal rights with other members of the Commission. These rights are understood to include communication with the Soviet Government by their representative and the making of arrangements with the Commission for the speedy repatriation of those Russian prisoners of war at present in Germany who desire to return to Soviet Russia. In the event of the Commission not being established, the repatriation of Russian prisoners of war in Germany to become the subject of negotiations between the Soviet Government and the German Government. The British Government on their part will acquiesce in any Agreement concluded between these two Governments for the purpose of effecting the above object. VII. Repatriation of British Prisoners.-The Soviet Government will repatriate all British combatants, including those who may subsequently fall into the hands of the Soviet armies within one month from the signing of this Agreement, and all civilian prisoners, except those committed for grave offences, and all British nationals at present in Soviet Russia, as far as they can be identified, who may wish to return to any portion of the British Empire. VIII. Repatriation of Russian Combatants of the Archangel Forces. In return for the undertaking given by the British Government in Article IV above to secure the delivery to the Soviet Government of those nationals captured in North Russia, whose names appear in Annex (A), in so far as they can be identified, the Soviet Government on its part will return to the Archangel Government all officers, doctors and military clerks of the 5th North Rifle Regiment and the 2nd Battalion of the Artillery Division captured on the Onega who wish to return to North Russia, in so far as they can be identified. This undertaking includes those persons whose names appear on the list contained in Annex (B) to this Agreement. Arrangements for this exchange of prisoners will be subsequently arrived at by means of direct communications between the military authorities on the spot. IX. The terms of this Agreement to be carried out by representatives of the British and Soviet Governments, and, until the completion of the repatriation of Russians under this Agreement, the Soviet representative will be given facilities to remain in some country of Western Europe, the place of abode to be agreed upon between the two Governments. The Soviet representative shall be given facilities for communicating with his Government by wireless and also with the Soviet representative on the Commission in Germany dealing with the repatriation of Russian prisoners of war, in the event of such a Commission being established. Signed on behalf of His Britannic Majesty's Government : JAMES O'GRADY. Signed on behalf of the Russian Soviet Government: MAXIM LITVINOFF. Copenhagen, February 12, 1920. ANNEX (A). [26 names not printed.] ANNEX (B). [10 names, not printed.] ANNEX No. I. The representatives of the Soviet Government of Russia and of the British Government appointed to conclude an Agreement for an exchange of combatant and civilian prisoners and the repatriation of their respective nationals urge their Governments to carry into effect immediately the clauses of the Agreement signed this day, February 12th, 1920, at Copenhagen. JAMES O'GRADY. Copenhagen, February 12, 1920. ANNEX No. II. In view of the difficulty of coming to an understanding with regard to British subjects who have been imprisoned for grave offences, we have agreed to sign the Agreement in order to expedite the exchange of the prisoners and nationals outside this point of difference, leaving this special point open for further discussion. Copenhagen, February 18, 1920. MAXIM LITVINOFF. WITHDRAWAL of a British Colony from the Commercial Modus Vivendi" between Great Britain and Spain.Signed at Madrid, June 20/29, 1894.* Commonwealth of Australia ... October 18, 1919. * Vol. LXXXVI, page 11. |