817.812/884: Telegram
The Minister in Nicaragua ( Nicholson ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:37 p.m.]
119. Telegraphic instruction No. 75, October 3. The proposed visit of the Canal Commission to San José has long been announced in both Nicaragua and Costa Rica and I believe that canceling it at this time would be misinterpreted and would cause undesirable comment. While I have not of course requested Nicaraguan opinion with regard to the visit I am sure this Government has no objection but would on the contrary recommend that the visit be made.
As already reported Colonel Gross takes the position that his instructions do not cover the preparation and presentation of a memorandum to the Costa Rican Government or its representatives.
The economic information normally included in an engineering report of the character to be presented would necessitate long preparation and the visit of the mission to San José would include indicating to officials there the type and character of the information desired but it would not be a primary object of the trip.
The mission desires also to acquaint itself with the general geographic and economic conditions prevailing in each country as it has already done in Nicaragua by extensive visits to outstanding cities and the different geographical sections of the country including the east coast.
I should like to recommend that I be instructed to inform Colonel Gross of your desire to avoid even the appearance of participation in any way in the negotiations between the two countries and that the reasons for his visit to San José would be only to furnish technical information of an engineering nature and to explain what economic information he requires. The mission returns to Managua Monday from Puerto Cabezas.