721.23/2449
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Latin American Affairs (Wilson) to the Under Secretary of State (Phillips)
Mr. Phillips: With regard to the memorandum of your conversation today with the Peruvian Ambassador, I would suggest saying something along the following lines to the Ambassador:
That, as the Ambassador knows, about the middle of December we expressed to the Colombian Government our interest in the maintenance of friendly relations among the American states and our confident hope that the Rio de Janeiro protocol might receive ratification in Colombia before the date (December 31) fixed in the protocol for exchange of ratifications. As the Ambassador also doubtless knows, there was some criticism expressed in the Colombian Congress by opposition senators over the reports that the United States, Brazil and other foreign countries had sent messages to the Colombian Government regarding this matter. Our information indicates that Colombian officials are doing everything possible to secure ratification of the protocol. Also, it would seem that there is no likelihood of an early adjournment of the Colombian Congress. Under the circumstances, it would seem doubtful if any useful purpose would be served by our making another appeal to the Colombian Government at the present moment. The Ambassador may be sure, however, that we are following the matter very closely and if there is anything we can appropriately do at an opportune moment to further the cause of friendly relations in this instance we shall not fail to do it.