722.2315/1298
The Minister in Ecuador (Long) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 12.]
Sir: I have been confidentially informed from a reliable source that the Government of Ecuador is actively negotiating with the Government of Brazil to open Ecuadoran-Peruvian boundary settlement discussions in Rio de Janeiro. It is said that the Brazilian Foreign Minister views the proposal with sympathy and that Dr. Homero Viteri Lafronte, President of the Ecuadoran Delegation at the Washington negotiations, will be appointed Ecuadoran Minister to Brazil in order to work with the Brazilian Government towards this end. Dr. Viteri Lafronte has requested his Government to send him to Rio de Janeiro via Washington, presumably to obtain the opinion of the United States Government on the subject.
In this connection it is observed that Dr. Antonio J. Quevedo, Ecuadoran Minister to London and Geneva has been appointed Minister to Lima. Dr. Quevedo is one of Ecuador’s ablest diplomats and lawyers. He was considered an excellent Minister for Foreign Affairs and is probably the most competent person that could be sent to Lima to try to persuade the Peruvian Government to accept the proposal.
Of course, it is feared that Peru will be very reluctant to accept such an invitation. However, the Government of Ecuador appears to be optimistic about this attempt to renew negotiations and is leaving no stone unturned to carry out its plan.
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Respectfully yours,