affairs might
soon be made an object of negotiations between the Kingdoms.

When the present negotiations had been carried on by Norway under the
supposition that the question about a change of this unsatisfactory state
of things should be left untouched, it had been done so out of regard to
the fact that the opinions about the best way of correcting this state of
things were so different in the two countries that, for the present, an
agreement could not be expected.

We Swedish and Norwegian negotiators, having thus been confined to try to
bring about such an arrangement of the Consular question as will leave
_status quo_ undisturbed with respect to the position of the Minister for
Foreign affairs and of the Embassies, have agreed upon that the relation
between the Minister and the Diplomacy on the one hand, and the separate
Consular Services on the other, should be regulated by laws of the same
wording which cannot be altered by one of the parties alone and which
both shall guarantee that the Consuls do not overstep the limits of their
authority and at the same time shall add security to the necessary
co-operation between the management of foreign affairs and the Consular
Services of both Kingdoms.

In conclusion we also want to express the hope that the time shall not
be remote when, by conciliatory advances on both sides, the question of
arranging the management of Foreign affairs can be made an object of
negotiations and find such a solution as can produce satisfaction in both
countries and enduringly secure the futurity of the Union.

FOOTNOTES:

[73:1] These enactsments show plainly that the Act of Union only
recognizes the Swedish Minister for Foreign affairs as the leader of the
Foreign Policy of the Union.

4.

Extracts from the Norwegian Government's draft of laws of the same
wording in order to regulate the relations between the Minister for
Foreign Affairs and the legations on the one hand, and the separate
Consular services of the two countries on the other hand. Dated May 28,
1904.

I.

The Consular administration by which is understood the authority the
Consuls are subordinate to, has to inform the Minister for Foreign
affairs of:

a) the establishment, the suppression, the alteration, or the division of
Consular Services, the appointement or employment of Consuls, their power
of attorney, leave of absence, suspension, recall, or discharge:

b) the general regulations and precept