714.1515/588

Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Latin American Affairs (Morgan) of a Conversation With the Guatemalan Minister (Recinos), March 15, 1928

The Minister told me that he was authorized by his Government to say that Guatemala was very anxious to settle the question of the boundary dispute between Guatemala and Honduras and felt that this could be done only through the assistance of the United States. The Guatemalan Government was prepared to accept the invitation of the Government of Honduras to appoint a Commission to inspect the disputed territory and endeavor to fix a provisional line defining the [Page 721] status quo. This Commission to be presided over by an American, designated by the Secretary of State.

I replied that this was very gratifying to the Department and that I sincerely hoped something could be accomplished towards settling this long-pending dispute. That if the Department could assist in any way it would be very glad to have the opportunity to do so.

I told the Minister that the Secretary was very anxious to answer the telegram which he had received from the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs of Honduras on February 28 (which was read to the Guatemalan Minister when he called the following day) but that the Secretary had been unable to answer this telegram until he had some definite information as to the attitude of the Guatemalan Government, so that he would know what the two Governments were desirous of having him do towards helping them. That is, he did not want to reply to Dr. Coello by saying what had already been said—that the Department would be glad to do anything which would be acceptable to both Governments. Dr. Recinos said he fully understood that and for that reason he was glad that he was now able to explain the views of his Government.

In discussing the composition of the proposed Commission I asked the Minister whether in his opinion it would not be a good idea to take this matter up in accordance with the Central American Convention of 1923, establishing Commissions of Inquiry.99 I pointed out that this Convention was drawn up to deal with just such questions as that which now exists between Honduras and Guatemala. Guatemala had ratified the Convention. The United States had prepared a list of American citizens who could serve on such a Commission. It would, in my opinion, greatly simplify the procedure if Guatemala and Honduras, having agreed to the formation of a Commission, would act in accordance with this Convention, which laid down specific rules of procedure. Furthermore, I felt sure that the Minister agreed with me that as this Convention was most beneficial to the Central American nations it would be an excellent thing to have it invoked in this case and thus maintained and strengthened. If it were ignored, and such an important question as this were settled by a Commission similar in form to that provided by the Convention, and yet without any reference to the Convention, this would serve to some extent to discredit the Convention and make it less useful in future.

The Minister entirely agreed with me on this point and said he thought it a most happy suggestion. He said he would study the Convention again and communicate at once with his Government and find out whether it approved of the suggestion, and let me know. I [Page 722] said that we would take no further action or make any further suggestions until we had heard from him again.

In conclusion I emphasized the fact that I was making this purely as a personal suggestion for his consideration and was not expressing the views of the Department of State.

Morgan
  1. Foreign Relations, 1923, vol. i, p. 321; also Conference on Central American Affairs, p. 392.