611.3331/274: Telegram
The Chargé in Uruguay ( Dwyre ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:10 p.m.]
85. Department’s telegram No. 60, October 10, 8 p.m. and Legation’s 84, October 15.13 At a conference with the Foreign Minister at noon [Page 798] today we discussed draft of his note which he has now delivered to me as a reply to the Legation’s note of October 11 giving the substance of tie Department’s telegram cited above. A translation of his note follows:
“Montevideo, October 16, 1939.
Mr. Chargé d’Affaires: With reference to your note of the 11th instant regarding general bases for the negotiation of a commercial agreement between the oriental Republic of Uruguay and the United States of America, I have pleasure in replying as follows: that I express my conformity with the list of products on which the Government of the United States considers itself prepared to grant at this time concessions to the Government of Uruguay and also with the publication of the list referred to at the same time as the announcement of intention to begin negotiation.
That this is with the complete understanding that, according to article 11 of the draft of general conditions to be included in the commercial agreement under reference, all other natural or manufactured products which in future may be exported from the Republic to the United States will enjoy equal treatment with those originating in any third country.
With reference to the public announcement to be made, the Uruguayan Government perceives no objection to inclusion by the Government of the United States of the statement contained in note No. 155 of the Legation of the United States dated October 11, similar to that published at the time of the announcement of the intention to negotiate a Treaty of Commerce with the Argentine Republic and which is as follows:
‘Imports into Uruguay from certain countries with which Uruguay normally has a commercial balance of exports, have been receiving during recent years exchange treatment more favorable than the imports from the United States. The Government of Uruguay has expressed its agreement in that the proposed commercial agreement be based on the principles of multilateral trade which underlie the trade agreements program of the United States. The proposed commercial agreement will assure that imports into Uruguay from the United States will receive any advantage which may be granted to competing imports from any other sources and that the governmental regulations of imports into Uruguay shall be applied in a non-discriminatory manner.’
In expressing the agreement above referred to, the Government of Uruguay stated that in its opinion, in exercising control on the basis of quantitative regulation, this could be implanted ‘without causing disturbances in the trade which the Republic is maintaining with other countries—provided that action in this respect is exercised with the elasticity and the viewpoint demonstrated in the memorandum to which this is a reply’ (note of October 9, 193914).
In accordance with our conversation of today, publicity concerning the present state of the negotiation will be made simultaneously in Washington and in Montevideo, just as soon as the Chargé d’Affaires is good enough to inform me of the date and hour at which his Government decides these announcements shall be made.
[Page 799]I am pleased to present to you Mr. Chargé d’Affaires the assurances of my most distinguished consideration. Signed A. Guani.”
Dr. Guani has expressed the hope that the announcement of intention to negotiate may now be made but requests that the Department inform me in advance the date and hour of release of announcement in Washington in order that he may release a statement to the press here simultaneously.