Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 62 Part 3.djvu/1262

 62 STAT.] CANADA-COMMUNICATION SYSTEM-MAR. 1, 31, 1948 Agreement between the United States of America and Canada respecting March 1,31, 1948 the operation and maintenance of a land line communication system [T. I. A. S.1966] between Edmonton, Alberta, and Fairbanks, Alaska. Effected by exchange of notes signed at Washington March 1 and 31, 1948; entered into force March 31, 1948. The CanadianAmbassador to the Secretary of State CANADIAN EMBASSY AMBASSADE DU CANADA No. 95 M4ARCH 1, 1948. SIR: I have the honour to refer to Canadian-United States discussions which were held in Ottawa from October 31 to November 2, 1946, con- cerning the future operation and maintenance of the war-built land line communication system between Edmonton, Alberta, and Fair- banks, Alaska. 2. At these meetings it was recommended, subject to the consideration and approval of the Permanent Joint Board on Defence, that a number of facilities from Edmonton to the Alaskan border should be assigned for exclusive use of the United States, the annual rental to be $271,000. 3. Subsequently at a meeting of the Permanent Joint Board on Defence on November 19-20, 1946, a report of these meetings was considered and approved, and on April 1, 1947, the Canadian Department of Transport made these facilities available to the United States author- ities. At the present time the Canadian Government's Operating Agency, the Canadian National Telegraph, who are responsible for the operation and maintenance of the system on Canadian soil, are forwarding monthly accounts for the rental of these facilities to the Commanding Officer, Alaska Communications System, in Seattle, but payments have not been made as formal authority for the lease has not yet been arranged. 4. The Permanent Joint Board on Defence therefore recommended at the meeting of September 11-12, 1947: "Communication Circuits of the Alaska Highway The Board noted that the United States forces have definite need of the voice and teletype circuits along the Alaska Highway and that the Canadian authorities have made the circuits available. The Board approves this arrangement and recommends that the contract covering it be signed by the competent Canadian authorities as soon as possible, in order that accounts may be paid." 5. In order that the lease of these facilities may therefore be arranged on a governmental basis, my Government wishes to recommend that this lease be implemented as outlined in Annex I of this note. 3883

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