Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1933, The American Republics, Volume IV

710.G/286

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in El Salvador (McCafferty)

No. 140

Washington, October 17, 1933.

Sir: Reference is made to your despatch No. 348 dated September 22, 1933, reporting your impression that “El Salvador, at the coming Conference, would be willing to work in harmony with the United States if it felt sure beforehand that its delegates would be treated at the convention on an equal basis with those of the other countries without any question as to recognition or as to the international legality of the present Government”. The Department would, of course, not wish to take any position regarding its attitude toward the status of the delegates of El Salvador at the forthcoming Conference with a view to obtaining the cooperation of El Salvador at the Conference.

Article V of the Resolution of the Fifth International Conference of American States³² provides that “The Governments of the American Republics enjoy, as of right, representation at the International Conferences of American States and in the Pan American Union”. Article I of the Resolution of the Sixth International Conference of American States on the Pan American Union³³ provides that “The Government of the Pan American Union shall be vested in a Governing Board composed of the representatives that the American governments may appoint. The appointment may devolve upon the diplomatic representatives of the respective countries in Washington.” In accordance with this resolution it will be recalled that the present régime in El Salvador, although not recognized by the United States, has had its representative on the Governing Board of the Pan American Union. In view of the above resolutions there would appear to be no question regarding the right of El Salvador to be represented at the Montevideo Conference.

It is well established, however, both in theory and in practice, that participation in an international conference does not affect the status of recognition or non-recognition of a participating government.

The above information is given for your own strictly confidential information and is not to be communicated to the Salvadoran authorities.

Very truly yours,

For the Secretary of State:

Jefferson Caffery

32. Fifth International Conference of American States, Acta Final, Convenciones y Resoluciones (Santiago, 1923), pp. 18, 20.
33. Sixth International Conference of American States, Motions, Agreements, Resolutions and Conventions (Habana, 1928), p. 113.