Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 58 Part 2.djvu/676

 1596 INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS OTHER THAN TREATIES [58 STAT. In order to expedite the construction of the Trans-Isthmian High- way, which for the first time will complete the connection between the capital city of PanamA with the other principal Panamanian city of Col6n, and for the purpose of facilitating the defense of the Panama Canal which is of such vital importance to our two countries, I have the honor to inform you that the Government of the United States is prepared to bear the full engineering cost of a dual highway and the construction cost for a twenty-foot roadway between the Madden Dam and Cativa. During the course of the conversations referred to above, it will be recalled that my Government indicated that it might be desirable for defense purposes to construct a highway capable of withstanding greater stresses and strains than was contemplated at the time the Trans-Isthmian Highway Convention was negotiated. My Govern- ment's offer mentioned in the preceding paragraph is therefore con- tingent upon the agreement of your Government to improve the construction specifications contained in Article IV of the Trans- Isthmian Highway Convention to permit of the use of such standards and specifications as the United States may determine necessary for defense purposes. All other provisions of the Convention would of course continue to remain in full force and effect. In the course of the conversations between our two Governments with regard to the best way to cooperate in this matter, we also dis- cussed the bases of the arrangement under which the Government of the United States would, if its offer is accepted by the Government of Panama, make the engineering survey for a dual highway and con- struct at its own expense the twenty-foot roadway between the Madden Dam and Cativa. There is attached a memorandum dated August 29, 1940 embodying my understanding of the arrangement discussed during these conversations. Upon receipt of a note from Your Excellency accepting the offer stipulated in this note and the understandings on which this note is based, the Government of the United States is prepared to undertake at once the necessary steps to carry into effect this offer. Accept, Excellency, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration." Me es muy satisfactorio manifestarle a Vuestra Excelencia que mi Gobierno acepta gustoso la amistosa oferta que por medio de esa comu- nicaci6n le hace el ilustrado Gobierno de los Estados Unidos, en los terminos expresados en ella y en el Memorandum que Vuestra Ex- celencia se sirvi6 acompafar como parte integrante de dicha nota, quedando entendido que las especificaciones de construcci6n de la Carretera Transistmica indicadas como minimas en la secci6n IV de la Convenci6n firmada por nuestros Gobiernos en 2 de Marzo de 1936, podran mejorarse en la construcci6n propuesta pot Vuestro Gobierno a fin de que consulten los "standards" y especificaciones que los Estados Unidos consideren necesarios para medidas de defensa", y que continuaran en toda fuerza y vigor las otras clausulas de la citada Convenci6n de 1936, incluso la VII que estipula que tanto Panama como los Estados Unidos de America, tendran por igual el

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