733.35/16: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina (Bliss) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:25 p.m.]
58. When calling on Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs 15 minutes ago regarding routine Embassy question, he said that the reason which had decided Argentine Government not to request United States to assume charge of the Argentine interests in Uruguay was to enable the United States Government to feel free of any obligations to either party should it be inclined to offer its good offices to the two Governments. He said further that he had been instructed to say to me that Argentina would welcome an offer of good offices from the United States and that the Minister for Foreign Affairs, as soon as Brazilian Ambassador had left him, would confer with the President to decide on cabling instructions to Espil to present Argentine view to the Secretary of State. I asked if he desired me to cable my Government in the sense of what he had said to me and he rejoined that he would be grateful if I would do so.
[Page 319]If the Department views favorably the suggestion of offering good offices it might prefer to do so in the first place as alternative to accepting Uruguay’s request assume chargé her interests in Argentina.