724.34119/620: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina (Weddell) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:05 p.m.]
197. From Braden. My 194, September 19, noon.
1. At the request of the Argentine and Peruvian delegation Ramírez, subject to the approval by the Paraguayan Government, has [Page 66] agreed to alter or to remove the more discourteous portions of his September 11 note. I regard this action as unimportant.
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3. Nieto will return from Santiago on Monday and during the next week the account referred to in paragraph 2 of my telegram under reference should be in such shape that definite action may be decided upon. Meanwhile we have been continuously working on Ramírez who now agrees that: (a) the Conference both has the right and the obligation to control and supervise between the “lines of separation” which he calls “lines of withdrawal;” (b) that regiementation be drafted as described in the last sentence of paragraph 4 of my telegram under reference. Because of Ramírez’ frequent repudiation of his verbal agreements, I still question whether the Paraguayans will readily concede to the Conference such an effective control and supervision of their police forces as to prevent any incident occurring along the Villa Montes road and therefore in order to obtain adequate Paraguayan compliance with our August 21 note in this respect it may be necessary for the Conference to issue a strong declaration or note to the parties refuting the Paraguayan arguments and reaffirming the Conference rights and obligations under the protocols. To draft this document will take some time since it must be done most carefully.
The Paraguayans could accept such a Conference decision as a clarification since it would reiterate Paraguayan fundamental rights as per opening sentence of article II June 12 protocol. Its simultaneous publication [with?] the September 11 note might ease their political difficulties and appease Ramírez who ardently desires to see his note in print. Any ill effect resulting from the publication of the Paraguayan note would be offset by the publication of the Conference statement. [Braden.]