723.2515/368: Telegram

The Ambassador in Chile (Shea) to the Acting Secretary of State

The Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs has just called upon me to inform me that Minister of Foreign Affairs has been requested by the Chamber to explain the situation as regards the offer of the United States to help in any possible way the Government[s] [of] Chile and Peru in the present situation. He also stated that the Chilean Foreign Office is in receipt of a telegram from its representative in Peru, stating that Peru has received a note from the United States similar to the one received by the Government of Chile.

There therefore remains an explanation from the Chilean representative in Argentina as regards the term “mediation” used by the Argentine Minister here and referred to in my December 10, 5 p.m. He also requested, on the part of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, permission to read the text of my note to the Foreign Office based upon the Department’s instruction December 6 [4], 6 p.m. I immediately acceded to this request and the publication will appear in to-morrow’s papers.

It would seem therefore that the Government of Chile is simply delaying its action and acceptance until some explanation comes from Argentina.

The attitude of the Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs was exceedingly friendly, and I thought encouraging, and I am inclined [Page 140] to think that the only thing that has possibly caused distrust here has been the term “mediation” used by the Argentine Minister. I do not think any thing more definite can be reported until some explanation is given to the term referred to, and it seems to me that if such an explanation is not given very shortly it would be wise to publish here the text of the memorandum handed in by Ambassador Stimson to the Argentine Foreign Office, the substance of which he has telegraphed me and which corresponds to substance of mine.

Shea