721.23/757: Telegram
The Ambassador in Peru (Dearing) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 17—12:48 a.m.]
25. Leticia. Referring to Department’s telegram No. 12 of January 16, 5 p.m.,30 translated text of answer follows:
Lima. January 14, 1933, No. 5.
Mr. Ambassador: I had the honor to receive Your Excellency’s courteous communication No. 364 dated January 10, in which, according to information sent the Government of the United States by the Brazilian Government regarding the proposal of the latter, accepted by that of Colombia to settle the present misunderstanding with Peru through the delivery of the Leticia territory to Brazil to be, after a short period, returned by Brazil to Colombia, it being understood that both countries should then endeavor to settle their differences by conversations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, to which Ecuador would also be invited, the Brazilian Government acting as mediator; Your Excellency adds that through the same channel the Government of the United States has been informed that the Peruvian Government has not yet been able on this base to arrive at a pacific solution of the difficulty, for which reason the Brazilian Government has requested that of the United States to make known to the Peruvian Government its opinion in the matter.
For this purpose Your Excellency informs me that your Government being advised that the Peruvian Government recognizes that the treaty of 1922 is currently valid, trusts that the Peruvian Government will regard favorably the honorable and decorous means suggested and offered by the Brazilian Government, for the settlement of this affair; and that the Government of the United States desires to express the opinion generally held in stating that it would learn with the greatest satisfaction that the Peruvian Government has accepted the proposal of the Brazilian Government.
I wish, before anything else, to beg Your Excellency to transmit to your Government the deepest gratitude of my own for the kind interest it takes in a pacific settlement of the differences which have arisen between Peru and Colombia because of the occupation of Leticia.
The mediation of the Brazilian Government to which Your Excellency refers, was presented (formalizado) yesterday by the Brazilian Minister in Lima and received the most deferent attention from my Government. In the preferential examination which was necessary to give to it, the desires and opinion of the Government of the United States which Your Excellency faithfully set forth in the note under reply, will be given consideration in all their high significance. In the meantime I am happy to be able to inform Your Excellency that, following the traditions of our international policy, my Government will make every possible effort to arrive at a peaceful and friendly settlement of the present difficulties which have arisen with Colombia, a [Page 405] country with which it is anxious to continue cultivating the most cordial relations.
I avail myself, et cetera.
Signed J. M. Manzanilla.
- Not printed; it instructed the Ambassador to cable translation of text of answer to his note of January 10.↩