817.00/3384: Telegram
The Chargé in Salvador ( Engert ) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 9—2:55 p.m.]
5. Department’s circular of January 7, 7 p.m. At a conference of the President and the Minister for Foreign Affairs this afternoon the former pointed out that it was difficult for him to comply with the Department’s suggestion as the Salvadorean Chargé d’Affaires, Managua, was here on leave of absence and there was no one to whom such instructions could be sent. I then observed that in such cases it was not unusual for Foreign Office to communicate direct with Foreign Office and that in view of the urgency I hoped that course would be adopted in this instance. After some hesitation because he feared that the Salvadorean message would thereby receive greater prominence than messages, if any, from the other Central American States, the President agreed and in my presence instructed the Foreign Minister to telegraph the Nicaraguan Government tonight that the Salvadorean authorities would not recognize Chamorro if he should assume the Presidency during the present presidential term. A statement will be given to the press tomorrow or Monday.4
Repeated to Managua.
- January 11.↩