760D.61/822

Memorandum of Telephone Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of the American Republics (Duggan)

Mr. Silva10 telephoned during the day that the Ambassador had requested him to get in touch with me following the receipt of a telegram from the Foreign Office at Santiago relating to the proposed declaration condemning the Soviet invasion and occupation of Finland. The telegram said that the Chilean Government was determined to stand fast in its point of view because of the attitude towards Russia manifested hi Geneva of certain of the European neutrals such as the Baltic countries with a more direct interest in the situation between the Soviet Union and Finland than any of the American countries; moreover, because certain of the other American countries had indicated that they shared at least to a certain degree the Chilean point of view. The Ambassador requested Mr. Silva to ascertain what the attitude of the United States would be under these circumstances.

I informed Mr. Silva that our attitude was perfectly clear, namely, that this Government was prepared to proceed with the other American Governments in the issuance of a declaration condemning the Soviet invasion of Finland. I again recalled to him that this country had already taken that step unilaterally in the issuance by the President of a statement on December 1. Our attitude remained, therefore, that this Government was ready to go ahead with the collective declaration, but was not taking any initiative in the matter.

Laurence Duggan
  1. Abelardo Silva, First Secretary of the Chilean Embassy.