File No. 944/93–95.
The American Minister to
Chile to the Secretary of
State.
American Legation,
Santiago,
November 1, 1909.
Sir: Referring to the negotiations for a
settlement of the Tacna-Arica question, pending between Chile and Peru,
I have the honor to report that about two or three weeks ago the Chilean
Foreign Office sent instructions to the Chargé d’Affaires at Lima to
present to the Peruvian Minister of Foreign Affairs the bases which
Chile was willing to accept. I am now able to inclose herewith a
statement of these bases written in Minister Edwards1 own
hand.
The Peruvian Government had already proposed to enter on negotiations for
a settlement and that ministers plenipotentiary be sent respectively to
Santiago and Lima. No bases were, however, suggested by Peru, and Chile
refused to exchange ministers until Peru should have definitely accepted
preliminary bases.
The Argentine Minister has been aiding the Foreign Office all he can
during the last three weeks to induce the Peruvian Government to accept
Chile’s preliminary terms. He tells me, however, that his Government’s
action has not been and will not be in the way of intervention or
mediation, but only by way of friendly counsel. Undoubtedly already the
Argentine Foreign Office has offered advice on the subject to the
Peruvian Minister at Buenos Aires and has instructed its own Minister at
Lima to offer similar advice to the Foreign Office there.
The Argentine Minister approached me two days ago with the purpose of
ascertaining the probable disposition of the State Department as to
seconding Argentina’s action at Lima and Washington. I told him I had
received no instructions, information, or intimations from the
Department.
I have [etc.]
[Inclosure—Translation.]
Statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of
Chile of the bases for settlement of the Tacna-Arica question
which Chile is willing to accept.
- (1)
- The plebiscite will be held on a date that will allow Chile to
fulfill her undertakings with Bolivia as to the construction of
the Arica-La Paz railroad. Note: It is calculated that the
section in Chile will be finished in 1911.
- (2)
- The voting shall be by secret ballot and in it shall be
entitled to take part all the inhabitants—Chileans, Peruvians
and foreigners—who shall have the following qualifications:
- (a)
- Citizenship with right to vote in Chile or Peru. Note:
The same qualifications are required in both
countries.
- (b)
- Minimum residence of six months (in the disputed
provinces.)
- (3)
- Chile shall preside over the acts connected with the
plebiscite and the Electoral Commission shall be composed of
three members: a Chilean, who shall be President, a Peruvian,
and a neutral. Note: As to this point Chile thinks that the
right to preside over the plebiscite can not be conceded by her
seeing that her sovereign rights continue until the inhabitants
of Tacna and Arica may determine to return to the dominion of
Peru. This does not
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permit her to act otherwise without violating her own national
decorum and dignity. Chile is disposed to accept whatever method
Peru may propose in order to assure the correctness and fairness
of the plebiscite, but she can not give up the presidency
thereof. In her opinion the giving up of the presidency would
not tend to this end, because she does not insist upon it with
the purpose of making the plebiscite unfair and incorrect, but
rather because the existing legal situation requires it, and
because of the rights conferred upon her by the Treaty of
Ancon.
- She would even be disposed to consent that the Electoral
Commission be composed of four members: A Chilean, who would
preside; a Peruvian, and two neutrals of differing
nationalities, with the condition that in case of a tie the
opinion of the President shall prevail; but this is the farthest
concession she could make.
- (4)
- In everything not inconsistent with the present proposition,
Chile would accept the stipulations of the Billinghurst-Latorre
protocol.
Note: In Peru this procotol is considered the ideal solution, and
therefore the above formula is proposed.
