721.23/409

Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (White)

The Brazilian Ambassador called and with reference to our conversation a day or two ago said that he had an answer from his Government on the Leticia question. His Government did not find it possible for Brazil to take any initiative in the matter because he said the five Central American Republics are not represented at Rio, and at the present moment the Cuban and Ecuadoran representatives are absent, so that at the present time there are seven American countries actually not represented at Rio.

I told the Ambassador that I did not think this was an insuperable obstacle as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil could communicate directly with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of those countries and get their concurrence in any action taken and those countries could authorise the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil or the diplomatic representative of any other country in Brazil to act on their behalf. The Ambassador said that he was sorry that his Government had taken this position and he did not see that there was anything else to be done.

F[rancis] W[hite]