391 



Embassy of Japan 



Washington 

 E - 2 August 29, 1969 



Sir: 



I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Note dated 

 March 19, 1969, which reads as follows : 



"The Secretary of State presents his compliments to Their Excel- 

 lencies and Messieurs the Chiefs of Mission of the Governments 

 concerned with the Interim Convention on Conservation of North 

 Pacific Fur Seals signed at Washington on February 9, 1957, as 

 amended by the Protocol signed at Washington on October 8, 1963, 

 and has the honor to refer to a letter dated October 13, 1968 

 received from the Chairman of the North Pacific Fur Seal Com- 

 mission, a copy of which is enclosed. It is the understanding of the 

 Government of the United States that similar letters have been 

 received by each of the Parties to the above-mentioned Convention. 



In view of the recommendation by the North Pacific Fur Seal 

 Commission that studies be continued to determine whether or not 

 pelagic sealing in conjunction with land sealing could be permitted 

 in certain circumstances without adversely affecting achievement of 

 the objectives of the Convention, the Government of the United 

 States agrees with the Chairman of the Commission that it would 

 be in order for the Parties to continue the amended Convention 

 in force for an additional period of time. 



It is the understanding of the Government of the United States 

 that the Parties agree, with reference to Article XIII, paragraph 4, 

 of the amended Convention, that the Convention as amended shall 

 continue in force for eighteen years and thereafter until the 

 entry into force of a new or revised fur seal convention between 

 the Parties, or until the expiration of one year after such period of 

 eighteen years, whichever may be earlier, and, with reference to 

 Article XI, that the Parties shall meet for the purposes set forth 

 in that Article at a mutually acceptable time, not later than early 

 in the eighteenth year, after further recommendations have been 

 made by the Commission. 



It is further the understanding of the Government of the United 

 States that a meeting of the Parties early in the twelfth year of 

 the Convention will be unnecessary, the purposes of such meeting 

 already having been accomplished as herein indicated. 



The Government of the United States hereby confirms the 

 foregoing understanding on its part and would appreciate receiving 



