721.23/724
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (White)
Mr. Morgan called me back at 11:45 a.m. from Kio and said that the original Brazilian proposal having been rejected by Peru Brazil had suggested that the conversations take place while Leticia is in the hands of Brazil; that is, after it has been turned over to Brazil by Peru and before Brazil has turned it back to Colombia. Brazil wanted to limit the duration of the conversations to a maximum period of three months as she did not want to hold the Leticia territory longer than that. I asked the Ambassador what Brazil would do with the territory if the negotiations failed. He said that the Peruvians were insisting that in that event the territory be turned back to the Peruvians who had captured the town. He said that Brazil does not want [Page 391] to do this because it feels that Leticia is Colombian. Brazil was not making any mention of what would happen to the territory if the negotiations failed but Peru would not agree unless there was some stipulation regarding this point and it was on this that the Brazilian Government wanted our support.
I stated again to Mr. Morgan that I understood that the first Brazilian proposal was that the territory be turned over by Peru to Brazil and by Brazil to Colombia and that negotiations be held in Rio thereafter for a settlement of outstanding difficulties. Mr. Morgan said that that is still the proposal, but Peru having objected to it Brazil was inquiring whether it would be satisfactory to have the negotiations held while Brazil still holds the territory. I said that there seemed to be an important difference now from the original proposal in that, according to his telegram of yesterday, as we interpret it, the proposal now is not that conversations take place after Leticia is restored to Colombia but while Leticia is being held temporarily by the Brazilian authorities. Mr. Morgan said that this was correct. I asked whether this last proposal had been accepted by Colombia. He said that it had; that he had been told by the Foreign Minister just now that Colombia had agreed. I asked whether this proposal had yet been accepted by Peru. Mr. Morgan said that Peru had not declined; that the question Peru is now bargaining for is that if the negotiations fail Peru wants the territory returned to Peru. I asked whether Colombia made it a point that the territory be restored to Colombia in case the negotiations fail. Mr. Morgan said that he was not informed on this point but that the Brazilians felt strongly that Leticia is Colombian and should go back to Colombia. I said that we took the same position. I then said that as I understood it the Brazilian Government wants our support in Lima on the proposal that the conversations take place while the territory is in Brazil’s hands but without mentioning what will happen to the territory if the negotiations fail. Mr. Morgan said that that was correct. I then inquired whether this was acceptable to Colombia and Mr. Morgan said he was informed that it was. I told him that then we would support the proposal in Lima. I said that we want to do everything we can because Colombian troops are approaching, getting nearer the Peruvian forces, and the Colombian Government is contemplating other action and that we have advised them to delay that action to see if the Brazilian proposal can not be accepted. If Colombia has accepted this last proposal then we will go ahead and back it. I said that we would get off a cable at once to Lima.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .