714.44A15/20
The Secretary of State to
the Minister in Guatemala (Des Fortes)
No. 78
Washington, February 19, 1937.
Sir: Supplementing the Department’s instruction
No. 55 of November 20, 1936,15
transmitting the replies of the President and the Acting Secretary of
State to the letters from President Ubico and the Guatemalan Acting
Minister for Foreign Affairs in connection with the difficulties which
the Governments of Guatemala and Great Britain are experiencing in the
interpretation of Article VII of the Boundary Treaty of April 30, 1859,
there is transmitted herewith a letter from the Secretary of State to
the Acting Foreign Minister which you are requested to deliver in the
customary manner. An office copy of this communication is attached
hereto.
Very truly yours,
For the Secretary of State:
Sumner
Welles
[Enclosure]
The Secretary of
State to the Guatemalan Acting Minister for Foreign
Affairs (Gonzalez)
Washington, February 13, 1937.
Excellency: I have the honor to refer
further to Your Excellency’s courteous note of September 10, 1936,
suggesting that the Government of the United States “interpose its
moral prestige in favor of the right of Guatemala” in facilitating a
settlement of the controversy between your Government and that of
Great Britain concerning the interpretation of Article VII of the
Boundary Convention of April 30, 1859, between your two
countries.
[Page 130]
It is assumed that Your Excellency’s request contemplates the
extension of good offices on the part of the United States to the
end that a solution of the controversy satisfactory to Guatemala and
Great Britain may be reached. Should this assumption be correct, I
am glad to state that the Government of the United States will make
available its good offices in the event that the British Government
joins with that of Guatemala in requesting such good offices.
If Your Excellency had in mind the submission of the controversy to
arbitration by the United States, my Government would of course be
glad to consider the possibility of acting as arbitrator in the
matter, provided Guatemala and Great Britain jointly requested its
assistance in that sense.
I shall be glad to give further consideration to Your Excellency’s
note of September 10, 1936, upon a reply from Your Excellency
clarifying the scope of the request which Your Excellency wishes to
make.
Accept [etc.]
