724.34119/1276: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery)
45. Personal for the Ambassador from the Under Secretary. Please see Aranha23 as soon as possible and present to him a personal message from me along the lines set forth in the following paragraphs:
Braden telephoned to the Department today from Buenos Aires to discuss the Chaco negotiations, to say that, in his opinion, there is a possibility of bringing about a definitive settlement if an energetic and coordinated effort can now be made. It seems desirable for the mediatory delegates now to make their long deferred visits to La Paz and Asunción. At a meeting this morning of the mediatory delegates it was agreed, with the Brazilian delegate dissenting, that the delegates of Argentina, Peru and Chile will visit Asunción, while the delegates of Brazil, Uruguay and the United States go to La Paz. Rodriguez Alves dissented for personal and political reasons, to making the trip to La Paz at the present time. On the personal side, he is reluctant to leave his sick wife. On the political side, he appears to prefer that rapid progress on the Chaco be deferred until after Cantilo’s return. Rodriguez Alves expects to be appointed Ambassador to Buenos Aires and would prefer to bring the Chaco matter to a conclusion while Cantilo is there since this would probably help to put his relations with Cantilo on a firm basis. It is understood that Rodriguez Alves is telegraphing Aranha recommending against Brazil participating in the visit to La Paz.
Braden expresses the opinion, in which I concur, that it would be much more effective if a representative of Brazil were to accompany the delegates of the United States and Uruguay on the visit to La Paz, and suggests that Luz Pinto, the second Brazilian delegate at the Conference, who has not been in Buenos Aires for several months and is now in Brazil, might be designated to go to La Paz.
[Page 105]Please inform Aranha of my belief that these visits may well be the turning point in the peace efforts. If they succeed, the way to an early definitive settlement of the territorial problem seems open. If they fail, the possibility of such a settlement appears remote. You may say that it is my hope that Aranha will see the situation in this same light and will, if possible, designate Luz Pinto to accompany Braden and the Uruguayan delegate to La Paz. Inasmuch as the delegation to La Paz is leaving Buenos Aires on Wednesday next, the necessity for rapid action is obvious.
Please telegraph the results of your interview as soon as possible and repeat the message to Braden at Buenos Aires. [Welles.]
- Oswaldo Aranha, Brazilian Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩