710.Peace/332: Telegram
The Ambassador in Brazil (Gibson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:45 p.m.]
106. The Minister for Foreign Affairs16 has set up three separate commissions in the Foreign Office to prepare data and make preliminary studies of various subjects in connection with the coming peace conference. These studies cover a wide variety of subjects and the Minister states that a great deal of duplication is obviated and the work given a more useful focus if he could be given as soon as possible an idea of the basic agenda of the conference as you now foresee it. He expressed the apprehension that if the agenda is not received in the very near future it will be difficult to do any systematic preparation for a conference to be held earlier than September; he understands it is your desire that it should take place at an earlier date.
As matters now stand the Minister does not intend to go to Buenos Aires with the Brazilian delegation. He has succeeded thus far in maintaining excellent relations with Saavedra Lamas and feels that he stands a better chance of keeping these intact and being able to use them for the purposes of the conference if he remains in Rio. He expressed deep regret that when the President’s first letter was received the question of holding the conference in Buenos Aires had already become so generally known that it was impossible to offer any objection without creating serious difficulties. He feels that … it is essential that so far as possible Brazil and the United States be in full previous agreement on fundamental matters in order that they may put forward an effective effort and that so far as possible other American States should be similarly lined up in order to meet the machinations which will inevitably be encountered.
- José Carlos de Macedo Soares.↩