Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1906, (In two parts), Part I

convention for the establishment of a central-american international bureau.

The Governments of the Republics of Costa Rica, Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, desirous of promoting the common interests of Central America, have agreed to establish an international bureau whose duty shall be to guard and look after such interests; and in order to attain such important object, they have entered into a special convention, and for this purpose the following plenipotentiaries have been appointed:

• By Costa Rica, His Excellency Licentiate Don Luis Anderson.
• By Salvador, Their Excellencies Drs. Salvador Gallegos and Salvador Rodriguez Gonzalez.
• By Guatemala, Their Excellencies Dr. Francisco Anguiano and the Licentiate José Flamenco.
• By Honduras, His Excellency Gen. Sotero Barahona.

Who, after presentation of their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed to carry into effect the aforesaid purpose in the following manner:

Article 1.

The signatory governments hereby agree to establish an International Central American Bureau, composed of one delegate from each government.

Article 2.

The presidency of the bureau shall be alternately discharged by the respective members, and to this end the alphabetical order of the names of the contracting nations shall be followed.

Article 3.

The duties of the bureau shall be those deemed necessary and expedient for the realization of its object as provided in this convention. The bureau, howver, shall specify said duties in the regulations to be drawn, and is authorized to frame such rules relating to its internal organization as may lead to the successful discharge of its mission, which is to preserve and encourage the Central American interests under its care and supervision.

To obtain this end the contracting Governments bind themselves to give the bureau all the support and protection necessary for the proper discharge of such important purposes.

Article 4.

The bureau shall submit, every six months, to each of the signatory governments a detailed report of the work accomplished during the elapsed six months.

Article 5.

The bureau shall be located in the city of Guatemala, and must be established not later than the 15th of September of the coming year, 1907.

Article 6.

The diplomatic and consular agents of the contracting governments shall give the bureau all the support requested from them, furnish the bureau with such data, information, and news as may be needed, and comply with such other requests the bureau may deem it proper to make.

Article 7.

The expense for the maintenance of the bureau shall be paid on equal shares ny the signatory nations.

Article 8.

The bureau shall have an organ of publicity for its work, and shall endeavor to maintain relations with other institutions of analogous nature, particularly with the International Bureau of the American Republics in Washingon.

Article 9.

The bureau shall be a means of intercourse among the signatory countries, and shall communicate to the respective governments such information and reports as may be deemed necessary for the development of the relations and interests intrusted to the bureau.

Article 10.

The life of this convention is indefinite and shall last while the contracting parties do not deem it proper to terminate it, but in case of denunciation the ordinary procedure shall be followed.

In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have subscribed the foregoing convention in the city of San José de Costa Rica on the twenty-fifth day of September, one thousand nine hundred and six.

(Signed)

Luis Anderson.

(Signed)

Salvador Gallegos.

(Signed)

Salvador Rodriguez G.

(Signed)

F. Anguiano.

(Signed)

José Flamenco.

(Signed)

Sotero Barahona.