Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 62 Part 3.djvu/1383

 4004 Method of settle- ment. Conditions. INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS OTHER THAN TREATIES [62 STAT. claim for the civilian supplies furnished by the Allied armies for the population of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and indicated that each Government would communicate further with your Government concerning the method of settlement for its share. Discussions have since been held between the representatives of the Government of Belgium and of the United States Government with regard to the final settlement of war accounts. In this connection, representatives of the United States Government and the Government of Belgium have discussed with representatives of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg the method of settlement for the United States share of the combined claim for civilian supplies (Plan A) furnished to the Government of Luxembourg. As a result of these discussions, it has been decided that, subject to the concurrence of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the most satisfactory method of accomplishing settle- ment for the United States share of Plan A supplies furnished the Government of Luxembourg would be to include this share (and to require no payment therefor from the Belgian Government) in the over-all settlement between the United States Government and the Belgian Government of lend-lease, reciprocal aid, and other war accounts, in which the Belgian Government and the Grand Duchy have been continually associated. Since the Government of the United States is committed by written agreements to participate on a combined basis with the United King- dom and Canadian Governments in the collection of the total bill for these supplies and in the determination of the relative shares of each in the proceeds, it is necessary for this Government to stipulate that this method of settlement for the United States share of the combined bills for the civilian supplies furnished the Grand Duchy of Luxem- bourg is conditional upon the fulfillment of the following conditions: a) That the Luxembourg Government recognize that the settlement to be made with the United States Government in no way impairs the validity of the obligation of the Luxembourg Government to the United Kingdom and Canadian Governments for their shares of the combined bills. b) That the Belgian Government establish a reserve of 10 percent of the combined bills being presented to the Luxembourg Gov- ernment and the Belgian Government. This reserve is to be established forthwith for bills heretofore submitted and at the time of submission for bills hereafter submitted. This reserve is to be deducted from the United States share, and is to be held in the name of the Belgian Government in the Banque Nationale de Belgique in funds convertible into sterling or Canadian dol- lars, or both, at rates to be agreed upon by the Government of Belgium with the United Kingdom and Canadian Governments. The reserve will be payable to the United Kingdom and Cana- dian Governments to the extent and in such proportions of ster- ling and Canadian dollars as the United States, United King- dom, and Canadian Governments may determine by combined

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