Kellogg - Briand Pact
[Multinational TREATY PROVIDING FOR THE RENUNCIATION OF WAR AS AN
INSTRUMENT OF political POLICY; signed in Paris on 27 August
1928, and entered into force on 24 July 1929.]
The President of the German Reich, the President of the United
States of America, His Majesty the King of the Belgians, the
President of the French Republic, His Majesty the King of Great
Britain Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the seas,
Emperor of India, His Majesty the King of Italy, His Majesty the
Emperor of Japan, the President of the Republic of Poland, the
President of the Czechoslovak Republic.
Deeply sensible of their solemn duty to promote the welfare of
mankind; Persuaded that the time has come when a frank
renunciation of war as an instrument of national policy should be
made to the end that the peaceful and friendly relations now
existing between their peoples may be perpetuated;
Convinced that all changes in their relations with one another
should be sought only by pacific means and be the result of a
peaceful and orderly process, and that any signatory Power which
shall hereafter seek to promote its national interests by resort
to war should be denied the benefits furnished by this treaty;
Hopeful that, encouraged by their example, all the other nations
of the world will join in this humane endeavor and by adhering to
the present treaty as soon as it comes into force bring their
peoples within the scope of its beneficent provisions, thus
uniting the civilized nations of the world in a common
renunciation of war as an instrument of their national policy;
Have decided to conclude a treaty and for that purpose have
appointed as their respective plenipotentiaries: The President of
the German Reich: Dr. Gustav Stresemann, Minister for Foreign
Affairs; The President of the United States of America: The
Honorable Frank B. Kellogg, Secretary of State; His Majesty the
King of the Belgians: Mr. Paul Hymans, Minister for Foreign
Affairs, Minister of State; The President of the French Republic:
Mr. Aristide Briand, Minister for Foreign Affairs; His Majesty
the King of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions
beyond the seas, Emperor of India: For Great Britain and Northern
Ireland and all parts of the British Empire which are not
separate members of the League of Nations: The Right Honourable
Lord Cushendun, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Acting
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; For the Dominion of
Canada: The Right Honourable William Lyon Mackenzie King, Prime
Minister and Minister for External Affairs; For the Commonwealth
of Australia: The Honourable Alexander John McLachlan, Member of
the Executive Federal Council; For the Dominion of New Zealand:
The Honourable Sir Christopher James Parr, High Commissioner for
New Zealand in Great Britain; For the Union of South Africa: The
Honourable Jacobus Stephanus Smit, High Commissioner for the
Union of South Africa in Great Britain; For the Irish Free State:
Mr. William Thomas Cosgrave, President of the Executive Council;
For India: The Right Honourable Lord Cushendun, Chancellor of the
Duchy of Lancaster, Acting Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs; His Majesty the King of Italy: Count Gaetano Manzoi2i,
His Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at Paris; His
Majesty the Emperor of Japan: Count Uchida, Privy Councillor; The
President of the Republic of Poland: Mr. A. Zaleski, Minister for
Foreign Affairs; The President of the Czechoslovak Republic: Dr.
Eduard Benes, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
who, having communicated to one another their full powers found
in good and due form have agreed upon the following articles:
ARTICLE I
The high contracting parties solemnly declare in the names of
their respective peoples that they condemn recourse to war for
the solution of international controversies, and renounce it as
an instrument of national policy in their relations with one
another.
ARTICLE II
The high contracting parties agree that the settlement or
solution of all disputes or conflicts of whatever nature or of
whatever origin they may be, which may arise among them, shall
never be sought except by pacific means.
ARTICLE III
The present treaty shall be ratified by the high contracting
parties Named in the preamble in accordance with their respective
constitutional requirements, and shall take effect as between
them as soon as all their several instruments of ratification
shall have been deposited at Washington.
This treaty shall, when it has come into effect as prescribed in
the preceding paragraph, remain open as long as may be necessary
for adherence by all the other Powers of the world. Every
instrument evidencing the adherence of a Power shall be deposited
at Washington and the treaty shall immediately upon such deposit
become effective as between the Power thus adhering and the other
Powers parties hereto.
It shall be the duty of the Government of the United States to
furnish each government named in the preamble and every
government subsequently adhering to this treaty with a certified
copy of the treaty and of every instrument of ratification or
adherence. It shall also be the duty of the Government of the
United States telegraphically to notify such governments
immediately upon the deposit with it of each instrument of
ratification or adherence.
In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed
this Treaty in the French and English languages both texts having
equal force, and hereunto affix their seals.
Done at Paris the twenty-seventh day of August in the year one
thousand nine hundred and twenty-eight.
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