724.3415/4843: Telegram

The Chargé in Peru ( Dreyfus ) to the Secretary of State

59. Department’s telegram No. 43, May 7, 3 p.m.37 Chaco. I called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs38 today and he informed me that he had been approached 2 days ago by the Brazilian Ambassador who informed him that the Bolivian Government had made the suggestion to the Brazilian Government that the preliminary meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Bolivia and Paraguay be held at Rio de Janeiro prior to the joint meeting at Buenos Aires and his friends wished to know Peru’s attitude thereon. Dr. Concha’s reply to the Brazilian Ambassador was that he accepted this suggestion on the condition that it was to be quite a distinct meeting from the one at Buenos Aires proposed by the League of Nations.

After I had communicated to Dr. Concha the contents of the Department’s telegram, he said he was glad to agree to this suggestion to have the preliminary conversations at Buenos Aires especially as it concerts with the plan of the League and he felt also that the preliminary conversations might well merge into the conciliation negotiations. He added that he felt it is desirable that the meeting be held at the earliest possible moment and that he favored having Uruguay amongst the conciliators.

Dr. Concha stated that he had been requested by Bolivia to have Mexico included in the group of mediators on the ground that this would help to offset the inclusion of Uruguay which Bolivia feels favors Paraguay. Dr. Concha said that his reply had been that he would be willing to have Mexico included in case it is decided to enlarge the group. He made an effort to leave it quite clear that he had not engaged himself in any way to support the suggestion that Mexico be included, stressing that he was not in favor of including Mexico or any other government unless a decision is reached to increase [Page 55] the group. He said that he is about to send a circular telegram to the governments concerned to make the point clear to them.

Dr. Concha said it has not been determined who will represent Peru but he does not feel that a special delegate will be appointed. He mentioned that Chile had included Nieto who is an expert on the Chaco as delegate to the Pan-American Commercial Conference39 apparently to have him ready at Buenos Aires for possible Chaco negotiations.

Dreyfus
  1. See footnote 33, p. 50.
  2. Carlos Concha.
  3. See Department of State Conference Series No. 22: Report of the Delegates of the United States of America to the Pan American Commercial Conference Held at Buenos Aires, May 26–June 19, 1935 (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1936).