611.3131/93: Telegram
The Minister in Venezuela (Nicholson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:50 p.m.]
23. Department’s telegram No. 12, March 4, 6 p.m. Foreign Minister states that owing to absence of President and other officials [Page 760] during Easter holidays it will not be possible to reach an ad referendum agreement prior to April 15. While he considers that negotiations have in fact begun, he is unwilling to give assurances that substantial agreement has been reached with reference to the general provisions until he has further consulted the Ministers of Fomento, Hacienda, Agriculture, and the Caracas Chamber of Commerce.
The Minister added that while the Venezuelan Government would have some proposals to make on the wording of the general provisions he did not anticipate that the suggested changes would handicap the negotiations. He felt, however, that the unconditional most-favored-nation clause and the proposed article on foreign exchange would require special consideration. If the Venezuelan authorities undertake a detailed study of these subjects, the results thereof in the Legation’s opinion may not be known for some time.
It seems possible that the Foreign Minister does not fully understand the implications of an ad referendum agreement. Can the Department furnish an explicit statement of its interpretation of this phrase?