611.1731/54
The Minister in Nicaragua ( Lane ) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 27 (?)]
Sir: I have the honor to inform the Department that immediately on receipt of the Department’s telegraphic instruction No. 41 of [Page 510] July 17, 8 p.m., I called on President Sacasa and expressed the hope that the Nicaraguan Government would be able to complete its studies as soon as possible in order that we might be able to commence exploratory conversations in Managua with the least possible delay after the receipt of my further instructions from the Department.
The President repeated what he had said to me on previous occasions,—that his Government is deeply interested in the possibility of concluding a reciprocal trade agreement with the United States and that he would give instructions immediately to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and of Hacienda to complete their studies in order that the conversations might commence. He suggested, on my enquiring what steps I might take to ensure the expeditious handling of the matter, that I address an informal letter to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. A copy of the letter, dated July 18 [19], to Dr. Argüello is transmitted herewith for the Department’s information.15
When I presented the letter this morning to Dr. Argüello (he was unable to see me at his office yesterday) I expressed the hope that he might be able to initiate the conversations with me at the earliest possible date; and that I hoped soon to have further information from the Department which would enable me to proceed with him. Dr. Argüello indicated that he would give the matter careful study but made no further comments.
Later in the morning I saw the President and told him of my having called on Dr. Argüello. Dr. Sacasa said that Dr. Argüello had not attended the regular cabinet meeting yesterday and that consequently he had not had an opportunity to talk to him about the matter. He said, however, that he had spoken to the Minister of Hacienda, Dr. Francisco Castro, who indicated, so the President said, that he was disposed to start conversations at any time. I expressed my personal opinion to the President that, if each Government could decide what it desired in the matter of concessions from the other, we should then be in a position to start conversations on a definite basis. The President said that he agreed that this would be desirable.
I shall continue to endeavor to keep this matter prominently in the minds of the appropriate officials of the Nicaraguan Government; on the other hand, I should appreciate it if the Department would send the further instructions, promised in the Department’s telegram No. 41 as early as convenient, and by airmail.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed.↩