825.01/13: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile ( Collier )
52. Your 72, October 6, 6 p.m., paragraph 2.2 You may legalize documents issued by officials mentioned and authenticate their signatures indicating that the officials in question are the de facto authorities now functioning in Chile. Such legalization with such indication does not constitute recognition of a new government. It is the policy of the United States either to recognize or not to recognize a new government as such. It does not now recognize a régime functioning in a country as a so-called de facto government. Until circumstances impel it to recognize a régime as the government of a country the dealings with that regime are to be deemed merely dealings with the authorities actually in control and as having no other significance. Their character should therefore be made clear in order to prevent misconstruction.
- Not printed; it requested instructions with regard to authentication of documents bearing signatures of officers of new regime.↩