724.34119/1356: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina (Weddell) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:30 p.m.]
117. From Braden. Tentative program decided upon yesterday to be confirmed on Monday is as follows: May 24 ex-belligerent Foreign Ministers will arrive and be received by President of the Argentine Republic who will express to them his desire that settlement be reached promptly.
May 25 afternoon telegrams from Presidents of mediatory nations to Presidents of Bolivia and Paraguay to be sent so they may appear in next morning’s papers.
May 26 morning Conference will receive Bolivian and Paraguayan Foreign Ministers at plenary session. Argentine Minister for Foreign Affairs will speak first and be followed by chairmen of each neutral delegation. Theme of addresses will be solidarity of mediators.
May 26 ex-belligerent delegations will be invited separately and each given the Conference formula for settlement together with memoranda justifying our proposal.
May 28 ex-belligerent delegations to give their replies. If unsatisfactory the Conference will then go into permanent session.
Little has been defined so far respecting degree and nature of pressure to be exercised. Argentine Minister for Foreign Affairs will warn Paraguayans (see second paragraph my 115, May 18, 7 p.m.) also will state that at opportune moment Conference will publish its proposal together with acceptances or rejections thereof. I have urged other mediators to join me in declaration that in the event of another war our Governments will enforce very strictest neutrality. Peruvian delegate, however, argues that if as probable Bolivia accepts and Paraguay does not, former should not be penalized. On the other hand Argentine delegates hold both countries should be shut off from all aid and supplies. The foregoing measures are weak but best available until now. My 95, April 20, 4 p.m. Frontier to be proposed is [Page 125] as follows: Point on Pilcomayo River equi-distant between D’Orbigny and Guachalla to 27 of November thence between the two lakes about equi-distant between Ravelo and Ingavi thence to Cerro Christian thence to run between Forts Pando and Paredes thence through nameless lake situated about 19 degrees of latitude 40 minutes south and 59 degrees of longitude 5 minutes west and have the line end at kilometre 1257 of the Paraguay River, that is to say 7,500 meters upstream from Bahia Negra along the thalweg. This leaves Puerto Caballo to Bolivia. [Braden.]