713.1311/227: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Guatemala ( Lawton )

6. Your No. 14, January 27, 3 p.m. and 15, January 31, 5 p.m. You may state to the Minister of Foreign Affairs orally and confidentially that as he has pointed out Panama and the United States have a special relationship and special obligations toward each other that do not exist in the case of the United States and the countries of Central America. This circumstance might limit the extent to which Panama would feel that it could enter into a special treaty relationship with the Central American countries and it would also influence the attitude of the United States toward any treaty arrangement which included Panama. For these reasons the Guatemalan Government [Page 430] may wish to consider the wisdom of including Panama in the proposed conference.

Please express our great appreciation to the Foreign Minister for his courtesy in speaking to you on these questions, and add that the Department does not feel that it could appropriately comment on the other suggestions embodied in your telegrams. Repeat to the other Central American missions.

Hull