710G1A/309: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chairman of the American Delegation (Hull)
55. The Ecuadoran Chargé d’Affaires called today under instructions from his Government to say that the Ecuadoran Delegation at Montevideo had been instructed to support the American Delegation in any proposals it might put forward. The Chargé d’Affaires then went on to say that the Ecuadoran Delegation either had presented or will present (his instructions were not clear) the following resolution:
“The Seventh Pan American Conference assembled at Montevideo, taking into consideration that well interpreted national interests should never be in opposition to those of humanity and that the settlement of all pending Amazonian problems is of vital interest to the peace of the American Continent especially to the development and progress of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, stimulates fervent hopes that those Amazonian problems may have an equitable, rapid and final solution inspired in sentiments of real American harmony, cooperation and solidarity and in adequate satisfaction to the legitimate aspirations and necessities of the said Nations.” The Ecuadoran Government hoped that we would instruct our Delegation to support this Resolution.
We said to the Chargé d’Affaires merely that this Resolution of course affected various other American States and we assumed that the Ecuadoran Government, if it so desired, would have its Delegation at Montevideo discuss the matter with you and with other Delegations.
While the text of the Resolution appears innocuous I think we must have in mind that Colombia and Peru are trying to reach a final adjustment of their Leticia difficulties11 in Rio de Janeiro with the good offices of the Brazilian Government, and any action in Montevideo which might touch on this question should be carefully considered with a view to avoiding anything which might prejudice the efforts being made in Rio de Janeiro.