724.34119/1335: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina (Weddell) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:40 p.m.]
104. From Braden. Zubizarreta outlined Paraguayan final frontier offer to Alvarado yesterday. Line to run from Ibibobo town on Pilcomayo River along Piccirculacion (see Neutral Military Commission map) along Ibibobo hills, leaving them, Carandaiti and Mandyapecua to Paraguay north to Parapiti River and along it to Matico thence along Bolivian line of separation through Ravelo to San Juan leaving the latter to Bolivia thence southwest and along the Otuquis River to its mouth. This is less favorable than Paraguayan proposals made before the trips, totally ignores delegates’ conversations in Asunción, and cannot be considered seriously. I think it outrageous. Zubizarreta declared delegates who had gone to Asunción were ingenuous, had not understood accurately either President of Paraguay or the military, and in fact resented delegates’ discussions with the military. He admitted Paraguayan offer is unacceptable and that it would be practically impossible to draft an arbitral compromise but held that no renewal of war threatened since the mediators were bound to preserve the peace and that in view of internal political conditions the only solution was for the Conference to delay negotiations indefinitely. In our conversation today with the President of the Argentine Republic and Minister for Foreign Affairs ad interim the former declared the situation grave, renewal of war threatens. The Conference cannot countenance any delay but giving full publicity to all measures taken and with absolute unity between the mediatory powers must push rapidly to a final conclusion. He remarked on the over long duration of this mediation; that the Chaco involves the maintenance of the American peace system and we can tolerate neither failure nor a new war. He said that of the mediators the greatest responsibility is Argentina’s. He commented on parlous conditions elsewhere in the world making it more vital than ever that we keep the peace of this hemisphere and if the Chaco war were renewed none could tell what complications it would have and said “conceivably some of us might be pulled in.”
The following program was agreed upon with President of the Argentine Republic:
- 1.
- To obtain from the Paraguayan delegation categorical statement within the next few days that they had no further frontier proposal.
- 2.
- To obtain a similar statement from the Bolivian delegation.
- 3.
- Immediately thereafter the Conference (and the Argentine Government acting as host) to invite the Bolivian and Paraguayan Ministers for Foreign Affairs to Buenos Aires for the concluding negotiations. [Page 119] On their arrival make them repeat specific statements that neither party has further frontier proposals to make.
- 4.
- The Conference, making clear it has the right and obligation to do so, make final compromise proposal described in my telegram 95, April 20, 4 p.m. subject to such change in details as might be decided upon in consultation with military advisers taking into consideration actual conditions of the terrain.
- 5.
- President of the Argentine Republic stressed that the publicity given to Conference action must demonstrate the justice of our final proposal.
- 6.
- Adequate time (say 20 days) be allowed assenting. The President of the Argentine Republic and my colleagues agreed this period was necessary in order for public opinion favorable to acceptance to be developed in ex-belligerency. I maintain Conference should go into permanent session in an intensive effort to obtain acceptance and not allow any interruption in negotiations.
- 7.
- Immediately after presentation of Conference formula every means of exerting pressure on ex-belligerent Governments to be used in order to obtain acceptance including telegrams from six mediatory Presidents to the Presidents of Bolivia and Paraguay. (It was unanimously believed that this would be preferable to sending telegrams 24 hours in advance.)
- 8.
- If the Conference proposal is not accepted by both parties then to proceed to drafting of arbitral compromise put endeavoring if possible to have arbitration by a distinguished citizen of this hemisphere substituted for the World Court.
Meeting to receive Paraguayan proposal has been called for tomorrow morning.
I feel friction between Bolivian Minister for Foreign Affairs and delegate may cause latter’s transfer. [Braden.]