611.1231/141
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Mexican Affairs (Reed) of a Conversation With the Mexican Ambassador (González Roa) and the Counselor of the Mexican Embassy (Campos-Ortiz), September 11, 1934
The Ambassador stated that he wished to eliminate any possibility of a misunderstanding as the result of certain recent informal conversations between Dr. Campos-Ortiz and Mr. Tanis concerning the initiation of negotiations looking to a trade agreement between the United States and Mexico.
He referred to advices which he had received from his Government to the effect that the Mexican Minister for Foreign Affairs had addressed to Ambassador Daniels a communication containing proposals for a modus vivendi to establish reciprocal most favored nation treatment for the products of both countries pending the conclusion of a formal trade convention. He said he understood that these proposals had been made to Ambassador Daniels on September 6 and that he wished the Department to know he realized that they must necessarily [Page 390] take precedence over any informal suggestions that might have been made by anyone attached to his Embassy. There could not, in his opinion, be two separate sets of conversations on the subject, one conducted by his Embassy with the Department, and the other carried on by his Foreign Office through the American Embassy in Mexico City. He desired therefore to have it on record that for the present he would confine his interposition to requesting that he be advised as soon as his Government’s proposals had been received by the Department from the Embassy in Mexico City and, if possible and convenient, that he be kept informed of any developments resulting from the Department’s consideration of them.
Mr. Reed replied that as soon as the Mexican Government’s communication was received he would be glad so to advise the Ambassador and that the latter could rest assured that the proposals it might contain would receive the Department’s most careful and attentive consideration.