d cannot be granted, but what is
important in them must however be adhered to; and concerning possible
modifications, which can be exactly stated only by continued
negotiations, there is at present no occasion for entering into
particulars.

[-- -- --]

10.

Record of Foreign Office affair, made before H. M. the King in the
presence of H. R. H. the Crown Prince in Joint Cabinet Council at
Stockholm Palace, on February 7, 1905.

His Excellency the Minister for Foreign Affairs gave, in all humility, an
account of a humble report about terminating the negotiations for the
establishment of a separate Consular service for Sweden and for Norway.
In answer to the Foreign Minister's recommendation in Joint Swedish and
Norwegian Cabinet Council of the 6th inst., this proposal had been made
by Royal Norwegian Government on the same day, and a copy of it has been
appended to this Protocol.

After having given an account of the contents of the report of the
Norwegian Government, the Minister proceeded to say:

"The report of the Norwegian Government does not lead to any alteration
of the recommendation[84:1] previously made by me. I venture however, to
draw attention to the fact that, if it has been impossible to come to
terms about the present question, the principal cause of it should be
sought in the present arrangement for treating questions affecting the
relations between the United Kingdoms and Foreign Powers. That this
arrangement does not satisfy the positions of the two countries within
the Union, has long been admitted.

In connection with what was expressed by all the Swedish and the
Norwegian Cabinet Ministers who signed the above-mentioned document of
March 24, 1903, I want therfore, to emphasize the desirability that the
question as to arranging on other principles the management of Foreign
affairs should again be taken up for negotiations between the two
countries. I do not, however, find any reason now to make proposal as to
taking steps to that end; I only refer to what I have previously
advocated".

What the Minister had thus stated and recommended, was endorsed by the
other members of the Swedish Cabinet Council.

The Norwegian part of the Cabinet Council referred to the Norwegian
Government's humble report of the 6th inst. and proceeded to state that
in its opinion a solution of the question at issue might, in the way
expressed by the Swedish Cabinet ministers in the document of March 24,
19