711.00 Statement July 16, 1937/164
Aide-Mémoire by the Colombian Minister of Foreign Relations (Turbay) to the American Minister in Colombia (Dawson)86
In a conversation of August 4, 1937, the Minister of Foreign Relations, Dr. Turbay, said that he has read with the greatest interest the statement issued in Washington by the Secretary of State of the [Page 751] United States under date of July 16 last, which Mr. Dawson has been kind enough to communicate to him.
Dr. Turbay recalled that the message presented to Congress on July the 20th by the President of Colombia, Dr. Alfonso López, in explaining the Colombian initiatives at the Inter-American Peace Conference of Buenos Aires, is pregnant with ideas concerning the necessity of maintaining peace on juridical and moral bases. These concepts show that the international policy of Colombia is based on postulates similar to those which the Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, has expressed in his statement.
Dr. Turbay said that the juridical coordination of the principles of peaceful international coexistence, based on respect for the sanctity of treaties freely agreed upon, is the cornerstone of the structure of inter-American solidarity which has been in the process of erection at the various Pan American Conferences, within the aspiration which we see gradually achieved of providing permanent norms for the peaceful solution of conflicts between nations of this continent and of contributing in this way to the progress of international law in the world.
The Minister of Foreign Relations expressed his deep satisfaction at the generous declarations which the Secretary of State of the United States has made at a time of serious disturbances in the world and noted with pleasure that they concord with the ethical principles which guide the Government of Colombia in the conduct of its foreign relations.
The Minister of Foreign Relations took advantage of the opportunity to inform Mr. Dawson that the Government of Colombia, in pursuing the policy set forth, has recommended to Congress the approval of the treaties and conventions adopted at the Inter-American Peace Conference of Buenos Aires and that it is disposed to cooperate with the other nations with a view to giving practical effect to the principles of law there established in favor of collective security and universal peace.
- Transmitted to the Department by the Minister in his despatch No. 1705, August 5; received August 11.↩