724.3415/1349: Telegram
The Minister in Bolivia (Feely) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received 2:15 p.m.]
99. Following note received from Foreign Office last night:
“I have the honor to reply to the note dated August 6th84 by means of which you have brought to my knowledge the tenor of the communications which the Governments of the United States, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and Uruguay have agreed to address to the Bolivian Government in reply to the note of July 25th, which contained the points of view of the Bolivian Foreign Office in relation to the offer of good offices formulated by the said governments to bring about a pacific solution of the territorial controversy in which Bolivia and Paraguay are involved.
With the purpose of maintaining the procedure which has been followed thus far in the course of this negotiation, I request that you transmit to the Government of the United States the following reply:
The Government of Bolivia is pleased to know that the neutral governments have received with satisfaction its declaration in the sense that it consents to study a pact of nonaggression in the Chaco, for the purpose of guaranteeing the peace and tranquillity that are needed to make possible a procedure (tramitación) leading to a juridical settlement that may end the present situation. In this sense [Page 756] it declares that it is disposed to enter into negotiations directed toward establishing the bases of such an agreement, for which purpose it will be pleased to authorize its diplomatic representative accredited in Washington, or designate a special commission provided with sufficient instructions and powers for that purpose.
Anticipating the suggestion of the neutral governments in the sense of seeking ‘practical and advantageous means’ of avoiding clashes in the disputed territory, until the proposed pact of security may be agreed upon, the Bolivian Government declares that it has long since given the necessary instructions to the military command that any collision with the Paraguayan forces is to be carefully avoided, except in case of legitimate defense; but it regrets to state that it is not possible for it to accede to the request that it retire its present garrisons, both for the reason that they constitute the visible sign of its dominion over that territory and because they are there to interpose a barrier to the advances that are being consummated in that region, over which Bolivia considers it has full sovereignty.
My Government again expresses its thanks for the noble diligence of the neutral governments in their desire to bring about a solution of the Chaco problem thus insuring peace and harmony between Bolivia and Paraguay, and wishes to make clear the good faith and sincerity with which it is disposed to contribute to that work of international cooperation (signed) Mercado.”
Cuban representative having no code requests text be cabled to his Government.