821.51/2348: Telegram
The Ambassador in Colombia (Braden) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 21—2 a.m.]
52. Department’s 68, July 20, 2 p.m. Personal for the Under Secretary. I am astonished by the Colombian Ambassador’s statement to you which is totally at variance with the interview I had with the Minister of Finance on July 17 and which is fully described in my despatch 222 of July 18 which should reach you by direct air mail July 21. In fact, I believe it impossible for the Minister to have gathered any such impression as given you by the Ambassador who can only assume must have entirely misunderstood the message from his Government and has elaborated to you on his misunderstanding.
I requested the interview believing it expedient before Government policy here became too set to bring before the Minister the comments of Department’s No. 59 of July 11, 6 p.m.,26 and coincidentally to get latest information he had on the debt. While the visit was official in the sense that I went to the Ministry it had been agreed that we would informally and frequently meet in this matter to discuss latest news of negotiations from the United States.
[Page 495]On this occasion as repeatedly on all previous ones I stated that neither my Government nor I could or would intervene other than by good offices in the debt negotiation.
I never have expressed any opinion personal or otherwise on Colombian offer except as I did so respecting so-called Lopez terms as reported page 7 of my despatch No. 117, May 1527 and at Minister’s request as per section 5 of my despatch 206, July 13. The subject of levying new taxes has never even been discussed in this or in previous conversations.
The Minister began the interview by reading to me cable from Colombian Ambassador describing his June 13 conversation with White. He declared himself so discouraged by White’s “rejection” of Colombian offer as to have been on the point (when requested interview) of cabling Colombian Ambassador to terminate all negotiations with the Protective Council. Because of this attitude I made strongest statement I have made so far which was “that according to him an impasse had been reached which gravely concerned [me] as being highly unfortunate both for Colombia’s good name and credit and for the bondholders, therefore ‘employing his own expression’ I begged him to exercise imagination to resolve the impasse”.
The interview ended by Minister promising to summon me and inform me after he had consulted during this week with the Debt Commission.
Otherwise the only basis I can imagine for Ambassador’s misunderstanding is that as reported in my No. 47, July 11, 5 p.m., I made to the Minister the identical statement of second paragraph of Department’s No. 56 of July 1, 3 p.m.