Minister Russell to the Secretary of State.
Willemstad (February 29).
(Received Mar 3, 1908—1.40 p.m.)
The Venezuelan Government answered to-day my note, sent in accordance with your cable instructions 19th.
Minister for foreign affairs states that Venezuela refrains from considering for the present the question of arbitration, because I have not as yet refuted the arguments in notes July 9 and September 20, in which notes Venezuela plainly stated grounds for refusing to arbitrate Note concludes as follows:
Consequently, as the cases referred to can not be considered as being comprised among those which call for diplomatic action, the Government of Venezuela would view it with satisfaction if the Government of the United States would consider this question as closed, the parties interested always having the right of recourse to the tribunals of justice of the Republic should they deem fit.