815.00/3118: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the President’s Personal Representative in Honduras (Welles)
9. The following telegrams are repeated for your information:
From Guatemala
“In a conference which I have just had with the President of Guatemala, he accepted the Department’s invitation and requested that he be informed of the date on which the conference of mediation will probably convene. Geissler.”
From Managua
“President Martinez states that Government of Nicaragua will gladly participate in proposed conference and has designated Dr. Jose Andres Urtecho, Minister for Foreign Affairs, to represent Nicaragua. Dr. Urtecho leaves Managua tomorrow for Amapala where he should arrive April 26 or 27. Ramer.”
From San Salvador
“President Quinonez informed me today that he intends to appoint Martinez Suarez, President of the Supreme Court and former delegate to recent Washington Conference on Central American Affairs, as Salvadorean delegate to Conference. Taylor.”
The following reply is being sent to Guatemala:
“Please inform President of Guatemala that the Presidents of Nicaragua and Salvador have agreed to participate in the proposed conference. The Nicaraguan delegate, Dr. Jose Andres Urtecho, is expected in Amapala April 26 or 27. The delegate of Salvador will be Señor Martinez Suarez. In view of the urgent necessity that the conference should meet at the earliest possible moment, you will urge the President of Guatemala to send a delegate as soon as possible, in order that the conference may meet as soon as the delegates at least from the three countries which have accepted, reach Amapala. You will note in this connection the latter part of the Department’s telegram of April 23, 1 p.m.
Your April 24, 6 p.m.7 The Department considers it advisable that the conference should meet at Amapala, because delegates of both factions in Honduras can reach there more rapidly than they can reach Guatemala, and because it has been clearly evident from previous negotiations that it would be difficult for the Governments of the other Central American countries to agree to hold the conference in the capital of one of the other countries. The Department does not understand that the conference will necessarily meet on one of the American warships, but this point, together with other questions involved, is left to the discretion of Mr. Welles.”
The following telegram has been sent to San José:
“The Governments of Guatemala, Nicaragua and Salvador have agreed to participate in the proposed conference, and the two latter have named delegates. The Nicaraguan delegate is expected in Amapala April 26 or 27. In view of the urgency of bringing about an agreement which will stop bloodshed and put an end to the horrible condition now existing in Tegucigalpa, the Department hopes that the conference may meet at a very early date and that the Costa Rican Government may be represented.
If there is no commercial steamer available for transportation of Costa Rican delegate the Department will endeavor to have American war vessel carry the delegate to Amapala. It does not, of course, wish to do this unless necessary and you will, therefore, not suggest it if any other transportation is immediately available. Since the arrival of the Costa Rican delegate may be delayed it may seem advisable to start discussions as soon as the delegates from the other three countries arrive, but it is hoped that every effort will be made to expedite the acceptance of Costa Rica and the appointment of a delegate.”
The following telegram has been sent to San Salvador:
“You will inform the President of the gratification with which this Government has learned that Salvador will participate in the proposed conference, and you will discreetly urge upon him the advisability of having the Salvadorean delegate proceed to Amapala at the earliest possible moment.”
Repeat to Tegucigalpa.
- Not printed.↩