724.34119/39: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina (Weddell) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10 p.m.]
132. From Gibson. Fourth session this afternoon may be summarized as follows:
1. Chairman welcomed new Brazilian delegate Rodriguez Alves and Uruguayan delegate Manini Rios.
2. Apparently as a result of an unfortunate speech by the Paraguayan Minister for Foreign Affairs some days ago when he reached Asunción and the recent publication of a scurrilous Bolivian propoganda sheet in Buenos Aires the chairman made an appeal to the contending parties to refrain from newspaper activities. Both delegations agreed wholeheartedly and assured him they would continue to refrain from propaganda.
3. Telegram read from the chairman of the Neutral Military Commission reporting satisfactory progress and indicating that actual steps of demobilization began July 10.
4. Conference was informed that Paraguayan chief delegate Zubizarreta will arrive only next week in time for a meeting on the 24th.
5. Rules of procedure adopted after lengthy discussion. All suggestions we had to offer were brought forward by ourselves or others and adopted. Report follows by air mail.
In this connection I brought up the question of seating delegations (Department’s 94, July 3, 6 p.m.63). It was decided in conformity with our suggestion to determine order of precedence by lot.
6. In deference to the Uruguayan delegate who apparently intends to commute it was decided to hold two meetings a week, on Wednesday and Friday. The chairman announced that the Wednesday meetings would be devoted to the fundamental question of direct agreement and the Friday meetings to discussing other subjects in rotation. As a good start it was decided to omit this week’s Wednesday meeting. [Gibson.]
- Not printed.↩