724.3415/4731b: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Argentina ( Cox )16

28. Please obtain immediately an interview with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and hand to him the following aide-mémoire:

“The Government of the United States has received through its Embassy in Buenos Aires the very welcome invitation which Your Excellency extended to it in the name of the Argentine Government to cooperate with the Governments of Argentina and Chile in promoting a fair and equitable solution by peaceful methods of the tragic dispute which has continued for so long a period between the Republics of Bolivia and Paraguay. The Government of the United States has received an identic invitation from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Chile through its Embassy in Santiago. This Government further understands that the Governments of Brazil and Peru have likewise been invited to cooperate in these negotiations for peace.

While Your Excellency will of course understand that any specific reply to the invitation so courteously extended cannot be made until this Government has received the full text of the confidential note referring to the results so far obtained in the explorations which have been conducted by the Argentine and Chilean Governments, and requesting that the Government of the United States renew its cooperation in this sense, which was transmitted by air mail on April first, the Government of the United States desires without further delay to state that now as always it will be gladly disposed to cooperate with its sister republics of this hemisphere in using its best efforts to promote the cause of permanent peace on this continent. While the Government of the United States thus desires to collaborate wholeheartedly with Your Excellency’s Government and with the other American Governments above indicated for the purpose mentioned, Your Excellency will, of course, appreciate that this expression of willingness will not be construed to imply that the Government of the United States would thereby be committed in advance to the support of any specific peace proposals, nor would thereby be impeded from offering such suggestions with regard to the formulation of peace proposals to the two belligerents which in its own judgment may advance the cause of peace, and furthermore, that this acceptance in general terms of the invitation so courteously extended does not imply that the Government of the United States would thereby enter into any implicit obligations.

Your Excellency may be assured that as soon as the confidential note of April 1 and the memorandum attached thereto are received by the Government of the United States, these documents will obtain preferential attention in order that a reply thereto may be immediately sent to Your Excellency.”

Hull
  1. The same, mutatis mutandis, April 6, 3 p.m., to the Ambassador in Chile as telegram No. 18.