723.2515/2293 supp.: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile (Collier)
81. Reference my No. 80, May 16, 2 p.m. Today Ambassador Cruchaga left with me copy of telegram to him from Chilean Minister for Foreign Affairs which states that the Minister proposes to request as soon as possible the Government’s approval of plan which I submitted and which Minister personally accepts. Later portion of telegram, however, indicates serious misunderstanding of nature of my proposal. Among other things Minister for Foreign Affairs says that Chile starts from basis that Chile will keep entire Department of Arica with railroad track within department’s limits, and that the Bolivian corridor would run between the Chilean and Peruvian zones. I have explained to Cruchaga that if acceptance of Bolivian corridor scheme is made subject to condition that territory be divided on basis of existing Chilean provincial boundaries, Peru taking [Page 439] Tacna and Arica going to Chile, it will be impossible both to obtain Peru’s acceptance and to continue with negotiations. I have pointed out that provincial boundaries do not have anything to do with matter; that proposal is simply one in general terms which calls for a Bolivian corridor, boundaries to be defined later in the negotiations, upon understanding that after corridor is delimited by agreement the areas lying north and south of it shall be allotted to Peru and Chile, respectively.
Every attempt to get Peru to agree in advance to division of territory, as such, between her and Chile will prove futile. The condition thus sought to be imposed is, moreover, quite unnecessary for protection of Chile, for no corridor can be fixed in subsequent negotiations without agreement of both countries and Chile runs no risk, therefore, of having the railroad automatically allotted to Peru as result of general acceptance of basis of adjustment which I have proposed.
Cruchaga says that he fell into error in quoting my proposal and is telegraphing again to Mathieu. Above is for your information should Mathieu discuss matter with you.