Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, American Republics: Central and South America, Volume VII

472. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Gray) and the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Holland), Washington, September 8, 1955¹

Washington, September 8, 1955

SUBJECT

• Ecuador’s Fear of Peruvian Invasion

Mr. Holland said that he was calling about the problem that has come up today in Latin America—border dispute between Peru and Ecuador. Mr. Gray said that he knew it existed but did not have all the facts.

Mr. Holland said that we, Brazilians, Argentines and Chileans are Guarantors of the treaty settling the border dispute. (He explained the job of the Guarantors.) He said that now Ecuador says that Peru is about to attack her.² Peru denies this.³ The Guarantors are meeting in Rio now.⁴ We are urging that the Guarantors should name military personnel as inspectors to go to the border area and determine whether the accusations are true or not. Since tomorrow we will be called upon to name a U.S. individual, Mr. Holland said he would be grateful if they would consider who the man will be. Mr. Gray said that it would be Col. Hanford⁵ of his office in Washington. Mr. Gray said they would also want to name a representative from CINCARIB since they are in charge of the area and they would want to message them for their recommendation. Mr. Holland said that would be agreeable to us. Mr. Holland asked if Col. Hanford spoke Spanish; also whether he knew the area. Mr. Gray said he was sure his staff would not have selected him unless he were well qualified, but that he would be glad to check and let Mr. Holland know. Mr. Holland said his feeling was that it was enormously important that the man speak Spanish, know the background of this particular fight and something about the area.

He said there was an alternative and that was the desirability of naming on an immediate basis, not necessarily for the entire inspection process, people on the ground who in a matter of two or three hours, if that seems desirable, could be at the spot. He said that folks from here could not do that. Mr. Holland said we would like to feel that, if the situation makes it desirable and if pressure is exerted to get someone there right away, one of their people at Quito or Lima could be picked to go right away. Mr. Gray agreed that this could be done.

Mr. Holland said that we should have a decision as to what would be done in the morning and would be in touch with them.⁶

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 622.23/9–855. Confidential. Drafted by Holland’s personal secretary, Mabel Karydakis. Initialed by Holland, indicating his approval.
2. On September 8, Ambassador Chiriboga called Cecil B. Lyon to inform him that he had delivered a speech at a meeting of the Council of the Organization of American States that day in which he stated that Ecuador was expecting an invasion by Peru. According to a memorandum of the conversation, Chiriboga stated to Lyon that “the Ecuadorans were surrounded by thousands of Peruvian troops and they were expecting Quito to be taken by Peruvian forces.” (Ibid., 622.233/9–855) For text of Chiriboga’s statement, which he presented as a note to the Council of the OAS on September 8, see “Situation between Ecuador and Peru,” Annals of the Organization of American States, Vol. VII, 1955, p. 290.
3. A memorandum of a telephone conversation, September 8, states that Gonzalo Pizarro, Chargé d’Affaires of the Peruvian Embassy, called Lyon at 5:15 p.m. to inform him that President Manuel A. Odría and Foreign Minister Aguilar stated to Pizarro that “there were no concentrations of Peruvian troops, that the Peruvian Naval ships were in Callao, and that Peru had no intention of attacking Ecuador but that this was all a scandal created by Ecuador. The Chargé said his Government had authorized him to say this at the meeting of the OAS.” (Department of State, Central Files, 622.233/9–855)
4. A memorandum of a telephone conversation, September 8, stated that William C. Trimble, Counselor of Embassy in Brazil, informed Holland at 5:30 p.m. that he would recommend at the meeting of the Guarantors of the Rio Protocol that they appoint representatives to investigate the situation between Ecuador and Peru. (Ibid.)
5. Colonel T.B. Hanford, Director of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Office of International Security Affairs, Department of Defense.
6. A memorandum of a telephone conversation, September 9, stated that Holland informed Gray that the Guarantors decided to appoint a commission composed of the military attachés of the four Guarantor nations stationed in Peru and Ecuador. (Department of State, Central Files, 622.233/9–955) In telegram 310 to Rio de Janeiro, September 10, Acting Secretary Hoover instructed the Embassy to “use best efforts induce Guarantors adopt and announce general policy of keeping OAS informed of progress of their work. US eager to demonstrate Inter-American System which includes OAS and Guarantors working successfully and in close coordination.” This telegram, drafted by John C. Dreier and approved by Holland, was repeated to the Embassies in Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. (Ibid., 622.233/9–1055)