724.3415/5017: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina (Weddell) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 26—1:43 a.m.]
104. From Gibson. The Argentine Minister for Foreign Affairs asked me to come to see him this afternoon to tell me of certain views which he was telegraphing Espil54 for the information of the Department. He said that he had given much thought to the participation of other American countries and that he was instructing Espil to tell you that he was prepared at a later date to advocate the inclusion of [Page 90] all the American powers on either one of two grounds: (a) To invite them when success was in sight to join in the conclusion and signature of the treaty; (b) if the conference was going on the rocks, to invite them in to avert a disaster.
I raised the question whether the second alternative would be considered flattering but he said he felt it was a great concession and that you should know of it.
He said he was also instructing Espil to tell you about the proposal of the Chilean Minister for Foreign Affairs reported in my 103, June 25, 10 p.m. I was unable to get from him a clear statement as to what part of his remarks were being transmitted through Espil. He began by saying that Cruchaga had produced a plan which was destructive of the Protocol, that if it became known to the belligerents it would be an encouragement to them to make no effort at direct agreement and to leave everything to the Joint Commission. For that reason he said our first effort should be concentrated on bringing about direct agreement between the parties. I pointed out that this seemed to be at variance with what he told me last week (fourth paragraph of my 94, June 21, 3 p.m.) but he said the situation had been materially altered by the Chilean proposal.
He is now thinking of deferring the opening of the conference some days longer on the ground that the Brazilian delegation has not yet been chosen. Unfortunately both the Chilean and Peruvian Ministers for Foreign Affairs have indicated that they are obliged to leave the middle of next week. [Gibson.]
- Felipe A. Espil, Argentine Ambassador in the United States.↩