724.3415/59
The Ambassador in Argentina (Riddle)57
to the Secretary of
State
Asunción, August 20,
1924.
[Received September
17.]
Sir: This afternoon the Minister for
Foreign Affairs sent word he would like to call on me at 4.30 and on
his arrival at that hour he handed me a short document in Spanish—a
copy and translation of which are herewith enclosed. This memorandum
constitutes a summing up of the communications exchanged between the
governments
[Page 283]
of Bolivia and
Paraguay relative to the disputed question of the limitation of
their frontiers and indicates a disposition on the part of both
governments to submit the question to the arbitration of the United
States.
The Foreign Minister in handing me this paper said that the President
of Paraguay requested me to forward it to my government at
Washington.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure—Translation58]
Draft of an Agreement between Paraguay and
Bolivia
- Article 1. The Governments of
Paraguay and Bolivia, not having been able to reach a direct
agreement in former negotiations, agree to ask the
Government of the United States of America to act as arbiter
in the arbitration of right (arbitrage de
derecho) to which they must submit their boundary
dispute according to the protocol of April 5, 1913,59 still in force.
- Article 2. If before the
arbitration is commenced any intervening circumstance should
permit a new direct negotiation between the parties, they
may request the mediation of the designated arbiter in the
negotiations which would be initiated in Washington by the
respective representatives duly empowered for this
purpose.
- Article 3. The present agreement
confirms the abrogation of all boundary treaties formerly
concluded. Until the arbitral award is made the status quo of the Agreement of
January 12, 190760 now in force by
virtue of the extensions stipulated in the later protocols,
shall alone continue in force.
- Article 4. A special protocol
will establish the remaining conditions and formalities
tending to facilitate the early and effective execution of
the arbitration agreement.
Asunción, August 20, 1924.
