710.Peace Agenda/143
The Minister in Colombia (Dawson) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 9.]
Sir: In a conversation last evening the Argentine Minister, Señor Alberto M. Candioti, told me that the Colombians claim for their proposal looking to the formation of a League of American Nations the support of a majority of the American countries. He said that they feel sure of the five Central American Republics, Venezuela, Paraguay, and Bolivia; that they anticipate a favorable attitude in the case of Ecuador, Cuba, and Uruguay; and that they hope for assistance from Mexico. His statements regarding the extent to which Colombia counts on some of the countries mentioned were rather vague and he was indefinite as respects the source of his information. He gave me to understand that he had discussed the matter with the President and the Minister of Foreign Relations and remarked that he had found the President ready to talk but that the Minister of Foreign Relations was very reserved. (With respect to the attitude of his own country towards the Colombian proposals, Señor Candioti said that, while he [Page 27] had received no instructions, he inferred that Argentina would not support them).
The Minister told me that it had been impressed upon him in his conversations here that Colombia resents the tendency on the part of certain powers to dominate international gatherings and will insist on the observance of a true equality for all nations (see my despatch No. 584 of February 12, 1936),33 He added that Colombia is very sensitive on this point and that he has recommended to his Government that the Colombian delegation be afforded ample opportunity to place its views before the Conference. He expressed the opinion that for a country which plans to present a major proposal and desires to play a leading role, Colombia’s preparation for the Conference is wholly inadequate.
Señor Candioti stated also that, according to his information, the Colombian delegation will, as indicated in the Colombian program of last May, oppose any recommendations for “customs truces”.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed.↩