500.A15 a 1/45: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile (Collier)16a
7. Reference Department’s No. 5, February 7, 1 p.m. The Department has received with surprise a “reply” from the Government of Argentina regarding the memorandum which the American Chargé delivered to it on February 10. The purpose of furnishing copies to the Governments of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile was, as you know, merely to keep them informed of events as a courtesy and no replies were expected.
If you deem it expedient and if a suitable occasion should present itself, you may advise the Minister for Foreign Affairs that Argentine reply appears to have been occasioned by some misunderstanding either on part of American Embassy or of Government of Argentina, and that the Government of the United States is not expecting replies from the Governments of either Brazil or Chile unless these Governments particularly wish to make comments.
You will not discuss this matter with any representatives of the press.
- Sent also, mutatis mutandis, to the Embassy in Brazil as Department’s No. 7. The Embassy in Argentina was informed to the same effect by telegram No. 7, Feb. 23, 7 p.m.; not printed.↩