[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 22, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 22CFR10.735-214]

[Page 57]
 
                       TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS
 
                     CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF STATE
 
PART 10--EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT--Table of Contents
 
 Subpart B--Ethical and Other Conduct and Responsibilities of Employees
 
Sec. 10.735-214  Transmitting communications and gifts.

    (a) Correspondence. In corresponding with anyone other than the 
proper official of the United States with regard to the public affairs 
of a foreign government, an employee shall use discretion and judgment 
to ensure that neither the United States nor the employee will be 
embarrassed or placed in a compromising position (22 U.S.C. 806(a)).
    (b) Communications. An employee shall not act as an agent for the 
transmission of communications from private persons or organizations in 
foreign countries to the President or to Federal, State, or municipal 
officials in the United States. A chief of mission may, however, accept 
communications of this nature and forward them to the Department of 
State for such further action as may be appropriate, whenever the chief 
of mission determines it to be clearly in the public interest to do so.
    (c) Gifts. An employee shall not act as an agent for the 
transmission of gifts from persons or organizations in foreign countries 
to the President or to Federal, State, or municipal officials of the 
United States. However, principal officers may, according to regulations 
prescribed by the President, accept, and forward to the Office of 
Protocol of the Department of State, gifts made to the United States or 
to any political subdivision thereof by the Government to which they are 
accredited or from which they hold exequaturs. Employees shall not, 
without the approval of the Secretary of State, transmit gifts from 
persons or organizations in the United States to heads or other 
officials of foreign states.