723.2515/417
The Minister in Paraguay (Mooney) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received January 22, 1919.]
Sir: In confirmation of my cablegram of this date,36 the same in compliance with the Department’s cabled instruction of December 6, 12 noon, which, however, was not received at this Legation until December 9th at 3 P.M., I have the honor to report that I called on Dr. Eusebio Ayala, Paraguayan Minister for Foreign Affairs, relative thereto on the morning of December 10th and had a long conversation with him on the subject.
Dr. Ayala told me that, particularly at this time, the Paraguayan Government was especially anxious to see a strict maintenance of friendly relations between the Republics of South America and he knew of no manner better calculated to effect that desideratum than to instruct the Paraguayan representative accredited to these countries to act in concert with the American diplomatic representatives accredited to Chile and Peru in their efforts to prevent a breach of the peace between them. He assured me that such instructions would be sent to Dr. Fulgencio R. Moreno, the Paraguayan Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary accredited to Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. Dr. Moreno is now at La Paz devoting his principal attention to the solution of the boundary controversy between Bolivia and Paraguay.
Dr. Ayala stated it as his opinion that much benefit might be derived from the convocation of a Pan American Congress, the same to convene either presently or at an early more opportune date, to formulate, in so far as possible, rules and principles for the adjustment of all matters of controversy, more or less acute in their nature, between the various South American Republics, among which he mentioned the boundary dispute between Bolivia, Chile and Peru; the question in issue as to River Plate rights, the same also involving [Page 136] title to a mid river island between Argentina and Uruguay; the boundary dispute between Bolivia and Paraguay, and similar or resembling questions between the Republics in the northern part of South America. It was also his opinion, very delicately expressed, that when a real sentiment for such a Congress was created, the influence of the United States therein would be most potent, if, in fact, not nearly or quite determining, but that the initiative therefor should be taken by one of the Republics having a question for submission, as the same would protect the United States from any suspicion of voluntary or officious action.
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I have [etc.]
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