724.34119/1403: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina (Weddell) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:30 p.m.]
154. From Braden. My 151, June 10, 8 p.m. Telegrams from Argentine and Brazilian Chargés d’Affaires at Asunción indicate statement made by Paraguayan Minister for Foreign Affairs was false and that actually the Paraguayan Government was at the time preparing counter proposal which should have been made today. However, [Page 143] all concerned having accepted week’s delay, nothing can be done about it now.
The possibility of three delegates visiting Asunción has been dropped since no invitation was elicited from Paraguay and I do not wish to press the matter as it might be interpreted as undue pressure on Paraguay by the delegate of the United States.
Junior Paraguayan delegate should arrive at Asunción tomorrow evening and is scheduled to return here by plane Friday in order that final proposal be made Monday. I hope the purpose of his trip is as alleged but it may really be to reenforce intransigence of Zubizarreta or simply to delay negotiations since Paraguayan experience has always been that they gain by delay. Pending his return there appears to be little for the Conference to do but sit tight and be firm and prepare resolution declaring direct negotiations terminated tomorrow night supporting chronology so that action can be speedily taken in the event of failure. Ruiz Moreno claims he will present study proving conclusively that under the protocol the Conference has the right to set a period for drafting arbitral compromise. In this connection several of my colleagues feel that passing to arbitral compromise with a time limit say 6 months is the one thing to bring Paraguayans to accept Conference proposal.
Argentine Minister for Foreign Affairs for 2 hours on Saturday emphasized to junior Paraguayan delegate Argentine Government’s desire that agreement be reached. Nevertheless he thinks it unlikely.
My 153, June 13, 4 p.m.51 Argentine Minister for Foreign Affairs undertook to obtain more favorable editorial attitude from Nación and the Chilean delegate from Prensa. [Braden.]
- Not printed.↩