724.3415/4089: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 7—2 p.m.]
224. Consulate’s 220, September 1, noon, paragraph 7.
1. Avenol has not asked to see me and in the absence of instructions I have not sought to see him.
2. Today, however, Najera, Chairman of the Council Committee, informed me as follows:
- (a)
- The Argentine Ambassador showed him a telegram from the Argentine Foreign Minister to the effect that American peace efforts respecting the Chaco appeared very hopeful. Najera desired to make official use of this information but the Ambassador stated this could not be done until he had received authority from his Government. This he agreed to seek.
- (b)
- The present League plan for handling this phase of the
question is as follows:
- (1)
- Should Argentina furnish an official statement which could be made public to the effect that a satisfactory settlement at Buenos Aires was imminent the Assembly would not take up the question for at least 1 or 2 weeks.
- (2)
- Should the statement be unpromising the Assembly would at once take action on the dispute.
- (3)
- Should an immediate statement or later statements indicate that the peace plans were progressing favorably but that a settlement was not probable until after the Assembly session on the call for the Assembly of an expose of the peace project which the Assembly found satisfactory the Assembly would probably be willing to withhold independent action pending the results of such efforts.
Najera believes that the Ambassador transmitted the substance of the foregoing to his Government.
It will be noted that this is in general line with Avenol’s policy as expressed in my number 220 paragraphs 3 and 5.
3. The probable procedure should the Assembly act would be reference to the Sixth Committee which would consider the formation of a consultative committee (my 219, August 27, 5 p.m.) if that course seemed desirable.