702.1211 Laredo/49: Telegram
The Chargé in Mexico (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 14—1:17 a.m.]
11. For Cotton from Clark. I secured an interview with Estrada at 4:30 today and handed him the following draft:
“Unreservedly disapproving the happening of the events leading to the closing by the Mexican Government of its Consulate at Laredo and anxious to terminate the resulting situation which is so injurious to the communities affected on both sides of the border, the Department of State has conferred with the appropriate State authorities involved and is gratified now to assure the Mexican Government that Mexican citizens bearing Mexican diplomatic passports, duly visaed [Page 533] by the appropriate American officials, will not be molested in the communities heretofore involved, nor will Mexican citizens generally, if in such areas, except for violation of laws, State or Federal, of the United States.
The Department of State feels confident that in view of these assurances the Mexican Government will not consider it necessary longer to maintain the existing situation at Nuevo Laredo but will find it convenient now to reopen the Mexican Consulate at Laredo and to restore normal economic relations across the border at that point.”
He is very anxious, for some reason I am not sure I understand, to eliminate reference to diplomatic passports. He suggested that the final clauses of first paragraph of draft I gave him be amended to read:
“To assure the Mexican Government that Mexican citizens who go to the United States complying with immigration regulations and other laws of both countries will not be molested in the communities heretofore involved, nor will Mexican citizens generally, transient in such areas.”
Unless you feel it imperative to include an express diplomatic passport provision I think his suggested amendment would be acceptable if “complying with” were changed to read “subjecting themselves to”. It seems to me this alteration could leave us without any real commitment beyond the present actual custom and the obligations of international law and comity. Estrada stated that if we insisted on a provision covering diplomatic passports he must contest it but he made no understandable statement concerning the grounds for his proposed contest. He manifested for the first time to me a disposition, if not anxiety, to adjust the matter soon.
If you will telephone your decision on this matter tomorrow morning Johnson will immediately deliver note. [Clark.]