710.Peace/358: Telegram
The Ambassador in Brazil ( Gibson ) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 6—5 p.m.]
111. Macedo Soares having returned to Rio today, I took occasion to discuss with him the subject of the Department’s 59, April 2, 6 p.m.
He is in full agreement with the suggestion as to formulating the program of the conference.
Macedo Soares stated that the more he studied the problems of the conference the more he was convinced of the wisdom of seeking to limit the objectives to a few simple and essential aims leaving secondary matters for subsequent treatment. What he has principally in mind is the formulation of machinery and procedure for averting conflicts which the parties obligate themselves in advance to accept; and as a second point a joint agreement that any attack upon countries in this hemisphere by non-American powers will be looked upon as the common concern of all American nations. He adds that if we can achieve this it will be one of the major achievements of modern times.