ON BEHALF OF THE IRISH FREE STATE :-Mr. Cosgrave, Mr. O'Higgins, and Mr. Blythe.

ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF NORTHERN IRELAND: Sir James Craig and Mr. J. Blackmore (Secretary to the Northern Ireland Cabinet).]

III.

THE IRISH BILL, 1925.

On December 8, 1925, a Bill was introduced into the House of Commons in order to confirm and give effect to a certain Agreement amending and supplementing the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty between Great Britain and Ireland to which the force of law was given by the Irish Free State (Agreement) Act, 1922, and by the Constitution of the Irish Free State (Saorstat Eireann) Act, 1922.

The two clauses of the Bill are as follows:

1. (1) The Agreement set forth in the Schedule to this Act [Document No. II. above] being an Agreement amending and supplementing the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty between Great Britain and Ireland, to which the force of law was given by the Irish Free State (Agreement) Act, 1922, and by the Constitution of the Irish Free State (Saorstat Eireann) Act, 1922, is hereby confirmed, and the said Articles of Agreement for a Treaty and the Irish Free State (Agreement) Act, 1922, shall have effect accordingly.

(2) The date as from which the powers in relation to Northern Ireland, which by the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, are made powers of the Council of Ireland, are to be transferred to the Parliament and Government of Northern Ireland, shall be the first day of April, nineteen hundred and twenty-six, and that day shall, in relation to the transfer of those powers, be the appointed day for the purposes of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920; and as from that day so much of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, and the Irish Free State (Consequential Provisions) Act, 1922 (Session 2), as relates to the Council of Ireland is hereby repealed:

Provided that this repeal shall not affect the provisions of subsection (2) of section ten of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, as modified by paragraph 3 of the First Schedule to the Irish Free State (Consequential Provisions) Act, 1922 (Session 2) with respect to the rates, fares, tolls, dues and other charges authorised to be charged by railway companies in Northern Ireland or the powers of the Railway and Canal Commission thereunder, until fresh provision is made by the Parliament of Northern Ireland with regard to the amount of any such rates, fares, tolls, dues and other charges.

2. (1) This Act may be cited as the Ireland (Confirmation of Agreement) Act, 1925.

(2) This Act shall come into operation on the date on which the said Agreement is confirmed by Act of the Parliament of the Irish Free State, or if such an Act is passed before the passing of this Act shall come into operation on the passing of this Act.

IV.

THE RUSSO-JAPANESE TREATY.

(January 20, 1925.)

(Translated from the Russian.)

Convention defining the Fundamental Principles for the Regulation of mutual relations between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Japan.

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Japan, being desirous of consolidating friendly relations and economic collaboration between them, resolved to conclude a Convention regarding the fundamental principles for the regulation of such relations and appointed for that purpose their plenipotentiaries, viz., for the Central Executive Committee of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Lev Mikhaelovich Karakhan, Ambassador in China; and for His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, Kenkiti Joshizava, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in China, Djoushia Knight of the Order of the first class of the "Sacred Treasure," who, on presenting to one another their respective credentials, found the same to be correct and in due form, and agreed as follows:

Clause I. The High Contracting Parties agree that Diplomatic and Consular relations shall be established between them on the coming into force of the present Convention.

Clause II. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics agrees that the Treaty concluded at Portsmouth on September 5, 1905, shall remain in full force.

It is agreed that all Treaties, Conventions and Agreements, other than the said Portsmouth Treaty, concluded between Japan and Russia prior to November 7, 1917, shall be revised at a conference which is to take place subsequently between the Governments of the High Contracting Parties, and that they may be modified or revoked as altered circumstances may require.

Clause III. The Governments of the High Contracting Parties agree that on the coming into force of the present Convention, they will enter upon a revision of the Fisheries Convention of 1907, taking into consideration any alteration in general conditions which may have taken place since the date of concluding the aforesaid Fisheries Convention.

Until the conclusion of such revised Fisheries Convention, the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics will follow the practice as established in 1924 regarding the granting on lease of fishing sections to Japanese subjects.

Clause IV. The Governments of the High Contracting Parties agree that on the coming into force of the present Convention, they will negotiate and conclude a Treaty of Trade and Navigation in accordance with the principles set out below, and that until the conclusion of such a Treaty, the general intercourse between the two countries shall be regulated by such principles.

1. Citizens or subjects of each of the High Contracting Parties will, in accordance with the laws of either country, enjoy (a) a full liberty of entry, transit and residence on the territory of either party, and (b) permanent and full protection, together with security of life and property.

2. Each of the High Contracting Parties grants on its own territory, in accordance with the laws of the country, to citizens and subjects of the other party, to the fullest and most comprehensive extent, and on condition of reciprocity, the right of private property, and also the right freely to engage in trade, navigation, business or other peaceful occupations.

3. Without prejudice to the right of each Contracting Party to regulate by its own laws its system of international trade in the given country, it is agreed that neither of the Contracting Parties shall apply against the other Party any special measures of prohibition, restriction or taxation, which might in any way become a hindrance to the development of the intercourse, economic or otherwise, between the two countries, both Parties desiring that the trade, navigation and industry of each country, shall as far as possible enjoy all the advantages of the most favoured nation.

The Governments of the High Contracting Parties further agree from time to time, as circumstances may require, to enter into negotiations regarding the conclusion of special agreements relative to trade and navigation for the purpose of better regulating and consolidating the economic relations between the two countries.

Clause V. The High Contracting Parties solemnly affirm their desire and intention to live in peace and amity with each other, scrupulously to respect the indubitable right of each State to arrange its own affairs within the bounds of its own jurisdiction according to its own desires, to abstain and to restrain all persons in its Government service, and all organisations receiving any financial aid whatever from them, from any open or concealed action which may in any way whatsoever threaten the order or the safety of any portion of the territory of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or of Japan.

It is further agreed that neither of the High Contracting Parties will allow the presence on any territory under its jurisdiction of :

(a) Organisations, parties or associations pretending to be the Government of any part of the territory of the other Party, or

(b) Foreign subjects or citizens, who are actually engaged in political work for any such organisations, parties or associations.

Clause VI. With the object of developing economic relations between the two countries, and taking into consideration the needs of Japan in respect of natural products, the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is prepared to grant to Japanese subjects, companies and associations, concessions for the exploitation of mineral, timber, and other natural resources within the whole of the territory of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Clause VII. The present Convention is subject to ratification. Such ratification thereof by each of the High Contracting Parties is to be communicated within the shortest possible period through its diplomatic representative at Peking to the Government of the other Party, and as from

the date of the later of these ratifications this Convention shall come into full force.

The formal exchange of ratifications shall take place at Peking within the shortest possible period.

In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Convention in two copies in the English language and have affixed their seals thereto.

Executed at Peking, this twentieth day of January, One thousand nine hundred and twenty-five.

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Japan upon the signing this day of the Convention defining the fundamental principles regulating relations between them, have thought it desirable to regulate certain matters connected with the said Convention and through their respective Plenipotentiaries have agreed to the following provisions :

Clause I. Each of the High Contracting Parties pledges itself to deliver into the possession of the other Party all movable and real estate belonging to the Embassy and Consulates of that other Party and which is, in fact, on the territory of the first-mentioned Party.

In the event of its being proved that the land occupied by the former Russian Government in Tokio is so situated as to create any difficulty in the re-planning of the city of Tokio or in the provision of public requirements, the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics will be prepared to consider any proposals which may be made by the Japanese Government for the purpose of disposing of such difficulty.

The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics will grant the Japanese Government all reasonable facilities in the choice of suitable sites and buildings for the Japanese Embassy and Consulates which may be established within the territory of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Clause II. It is agreed that all questions respecting debts to the Government or to the subjects of Japan in connexion with State loans and Treasury obligations, issued by former Russian Governments, namely by the Imperial Russian Government and its successor, the Provisional Government, are to be left to be determined by subsequent negotiations between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Government of Japan.

It is understood that upon adjusting these questions, the Government or subjects of Japan will not, all other conditions being equal, be placed in a position less favourable than those which the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics may grant to the Government or to the citizens of any other country on similar questions.

It is also agreed that all questions relating to the claims of the Government of one Party against that of the other, or of citizens of the one Party

against the Government of the other, are to be left for adjustment at subsequent negotiations between the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Government of Japan.

Clause III. In view of the fact that climatic conditions in Northern Saghalien prevent the immediate return home of the Japanese troops at present stationed there, the whole of these troops shall be withdrawn from the said region by May 15, 1925.

Such evacuation is to commence as soon as climatic conditions permit, the full sovereignty of the competent authorities of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics being immediately restored in each and every region of Northern Saghalien on its evacuation by the Japanese troops.

Details relating to the transference of administration and the cessation of occupation will be co-ordinated at Alexandrovsk between the Commander of the Japanese Occupation Army and the Representatives of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Clause IV. The High Contracting Parties mutually declare that there is not now in existence any Treaty or Agreement respecting any military alliance, or any other secret Agreement whatsoever, concluded by either of them with any third Party which might be an infringement or a menace to the sovereignty or territorial rights or the safety of the state of the other High Contracting Party.

Clause V. The present Protocol will be considered as having been ratified with the ratification of the Convention defining the Fundamental Principles regulating the Relations between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Japan, signed on this date.

In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Protocol in two copies in the English language and have affixed their seals thereto.

Executed at Peking, this twentieth day of January, One thousand nine hundred and twenty-five.

PROTOCOL (B).

(Signed) L. KARAKHAN.

K. JOSHIZAVA.

The High Contracting Parties have agreed upon the following provisions as to Concession Contracts subject to be concluded within five months from the date of the complete evacuation of Northern Saghalien by Japanese troops as set out in Clause III. of Protocol (A), signed this day by the Plenipotentiaries of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Japan.

1. The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics agrees to grant to Japanese enterprises recommended by the Government of Japan a concession for the exploitation of 50 per cent. of the area of each of the oil fields in Northern Saghalien mentioned in the Memorandum submitted to the Representative of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics by the Japanese Representative on August 29, 1924. In order to define the area which is to be granted on lease to Japanese enterprises for such exploitation, each of the indicated oil fields is to be divided into chess-board