724.3415/3044: Telegram

The Minister in Bolivia (Feely) to the Secretary of State

37. Chilean Minister yesterday delivered the following note to the Bolivian Government:

“The Chilean Government which has maintained close contact with the Argentine, Brazil and Peru in the efforts made to settle the Chaco conflict believes that as Paraguay has withdrawn her reservations to the Mendoza formula, it is now time to remind Bolivia of the responsibility she would assume for the eventual failure of that formula and amicably requests that she put into effect her reiterated desire for peace in a concrete and firm way that will assure the execution of an arbitral process within the Mendoza formula, and also the immediate cessation of hostilities.”

A similar but milder note was received from Argentina.

The Bolivian Government is greatly perturbed at what it considers undue pressure incompatible with the role of mediator and I fear that the success of the Mendoza formula has been seriously prejudiced.

Feely