710.H Continental Solidarity/74: Telegram

The Chairman of the American Delegation (Hull) to the Acting Secretary of State

30. 1. Opinion is developing in favor of a declaration instead of convention reaffirming continental solidarity and consultation in case of threat to the peace. Although many drafts have been drawn a text prepared by Concha23 is one of those now being used as basis for discussions. Under that text American Republics reaffirm their continental solidarity, declare they “shall not permit any intervention either direct or indirect on the part of any non-American state in their external and internal policy”, that each state must determine for itself means to be employed in safeguarding “collective security of republic and institutions” and that intervention or threat of intervention necessitates consultation as provided in the Buenos Aires pacts.

The Argentine Delegation presented its project for implementing the machinery of consultation textually as communicated to the Department [Page 81] some weeks ago. Chile proposed a more ambitious project providing for a permanent organ of consultation. The Subcommittee is now combining the two projects more nearly along the lines of the Argentine draft whose final terms should be acceptable although the Argentine Government insists on a declaration rather than a protocol. Regional consultations will apparently be omitted.

If you have any observations on this approach or on the principal provisions of the Peruvian draft would you please let me have them as soon as possible.

2. All countries have now agreed to join in introducing the resolution as drawn in Washington excepting Uruguay, Brazil, Venezuela, Costa Rica and Chile. We have reason to expect that at least three of these countries most probably early tomorrow morning will give their agreement.

3. Renunciation of diplomatic intervention to collect pecuniary claims is presented by the report of the Committee of Experts and also by resolutions introduced by Mexico and Argentina. These resolutions are under study. We are endeavoring to point out that independent resolutions should be combined with the report of experts and to reword the latter so that it will stay within the terms already accepted by us at Buenos Aires.

4. I agreed to support Mexican redraft of resolution suggesting interested governments attend Conference on Indians in Bolivia next year.

5. Our projects on consolidation of peace instruments, informal meetings of Treasury representatives and protection of historic sites were introduced today.

6. As soon as possible I intend to see what can be done regarding Ecuadorean-Peruvian boundary dispute.24 Have any suggestions in this regard occurred to you since my departure?

7. We have denied a report reaching here from Buenos Aires to the effect that the United States requested naval stations at Callao and Bahia Blanca which were refused.

Hull
  1. Carlos Concha, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Peru, Chairman of the Peruvian delegation, President of the Conference.
  2. See pp. 217 ff.