724.3415/4046: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina (Weddell) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:35 p.m.]
139. By invitation I met the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Brazilian Ambassador at the latter’s residence Saturday afternoon. The Bolivian Minister was present.
After extensive discussion the Minister of Foreign Affairs outlined his interpretation of the attitude concerning conciliation of the Bolivian Government as set forth by the Bolivian Minister, and stated the attitude of the Argentine Government toward this, agreeing to reduce his declaration to writing and to furnish a copy to all present.
The Bolivian Minister concurred in the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ interpretation, saying he would make this known to La Paz immediately on receipt of the draft from the Minister of Foreign Affairs. My copy of the draft which I received last night appears to be in exact harmony with the original declaration. A close translation reads as follows:
“Bolivia insisting that its point of view sine qua non to reach a conciliation solution is that it be given (within such a solution) an outlet to the River Paraguay below Bahía Negra and expressing its wish to be informed—confidentially—of the support which in this respect it might obtain from the three mediating powers, Argentina declares that in its desire to reach a conciliation, it will support that point of view, provided that it may be brought into harmony with the point of view of Paraguay, adding that should such a suggestion not be accepted by Paraguay, it (Argentina) will propose other and different suggestions with a view to obtaining the desideratum of peace.
It must be clearly understood that the contribution requested by Bolivia for the solution of the difficulty does not constitute ratification or approval of the Bolivian point of view and that the Argentine Government does not prejudice the basic question, which will have to be decided by arbitration at the opportune time, that is when the efforts to obtain harmony may have failed, making it necessary to apply article VII of the plan which prescribes arbitration”.
During our discussion the Minister of Foreign Affairs seemed at first to desire that the Brazilian Ambassador and I should make declarations concerning our consent of Governments’ attitude similar to his own but I said I was not authorized to do this and the Brazilian Ambassador said the same.
The Bolivian Minister is suspected by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of trying to place the latter’s Government and that of Brazil and the United States in the position of not only supporting but of endorsing Bolivia’s viewpoint with regard to an outlet on the Paraguay [Page 186] River; and the Minister for Foreign Affairs seeks to avoid such a commitment through the declaration quoted above.
The Brazilian Ambassador tells me he has been instructed to work in close harmony with me in all negotiations. He and I are at one in thinking that just now any pressure by our two Governments on Bolivia should be at La Paz.
Repeated to Rio de Janeiro.