821.6363 Barco/169: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Colombia (Piles)
53. Deliver the following note textually to the Minister for Foreign Affairs:
“I did not fail to communicate Your Excellency’s note of August 14 to my Government and I am now instructed by the Secretary of State to say in reply that the United States Government is much surprised that the Colombian Government, contrary to the procedure customary between friendly nations, declines to answer a straightforward question of fact and attempts to deny to a friendly Government the right to make inquiries on behalf of the interests of its nationals.
[Page 633]My note of August 13, to which your note under acknowledgment is in reply, requested perfectly proper information on behalf of American citizens interested in the Barco concession as to whether the concessionaire would be allowed a period of 30 days within which to present a new memorial addressed to and answering the alleged new grounds advanced in the recent resolution of the Colombian Government. My Government considers that it is perfectly within its rights under international law in extending reasonable and necessary assistance and protection to American citizens interested in a Colombian corporation of which they own over 95 per cent of the stock. Furthermore, my Government feels that a very considerable loss has been suffered by the American interests involved through the long delay by the Colombian Government in answering the petition of the Compania Colombiana del Petroleo dated March 16, 1926, and that more serious losses are threatened through the refusal of the Colombian Government to state definitely whether this Company is entitled to file a new petition answering the new grounds set forth in the recent resolution of the Colombian Government confirming its decree of February 2, 1926.
My Government has requested nothing of the Colombian Government that it would be unwilling in a similar case to grant to Colombian or other foreign interests in the United States, and cannot permit the refusal of the Colombian Government to deal with this matter in the manner usual in intercourse between friendly nations to cause my Government to desist from according such assistance and protection to American citizens as may seem proper and necessary. Accordingly my Government will continue to follow with interest the further progress of this case.”