724.3415/991: Telegram
The Chargé in Uruguay ( Gade ) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received 4:05 p.m.]
8. Referring to the Department’s telegram of February 14, 6 p.m., No. 10. I have today informed the Minister for Foreign Affairs as directed. He declared that he believes from various previous conversations with Bolivian Minister that the Bolivian Government would make no reply to the neutral governments’ communication of January 9th until agreement has been reached with Paraguay regarding manner of exchanging forts. However, he agreed to make oral representations, as suggested by the Department, to the Bolivian Government tomorrow, pointing out that in case the negotiations here regarding fulfillment of Washington protocol should be unsuccessful it would be advisable to have a commission to fall back upon in order to prevent serious developments.
With reference to telegram of February 15, 3 p.m., from the Legation at Asunción to the Department, the Minister for Foreign Affairs again confirmed that Uruguayan proposal is, as transmitted in my telegram of January 10, 2 p.m., No. 5, namely, that one officer should proceed to Vanguardia and one officer to Boquerón dividing their tasks. Since the restoration of Vanguardia would take several weeks and the relinquishment of Boquerón only a few minutes, he did not see how more simultaneous action could be devised than as provided in the Uruguayan formula by which means the acts of proceedings of the completion of Vanguardia and the abandonment of Boquerón would be drawn up simultaneously.
The new Paraguayan Minister to Uruguay, Señor Arbo, is expected to present his credentials some time next week and bring with him a reply to the Uruguayan Minister for Foreign Affairs’ last telegram.
Repeated to Asunción.