856B.01/4: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Venezuela ( Scott )
44. Your 60, May 10, 5 p.m. For Scott from the Under Secretary. I saw the Venezuelan Chargé d’Affaires this morning and received from him the message to which you refer in your telegram.
I asked the Chargé d’Affaires to inform Dr. Gil Borges for the latter’s confidential information that this Government had already brought to the attention of the British and French Governments certain aspects of the situation which would arise from the landing of [Page 736] British or French military forces in the Dutch West Indies and to which this Government attached very great importance.
The Department is now awaiting a reply from the British and French Governments and as soon as such reply is received, Dr. Gil Borges will at once be informed. Please inform the Minister of Foreign Affairs that we will keep in close touch with him and that we will desire to consult with the Venezuelan Government confidentially with regard to all developments concerning this matter. You may add that the Department has been officially informed by the Dutch Government that the action taken by the British and French authorities was taken at the request of the Netherlands Government and that such forces as have been landed have been placed at the disposal of the local Netherland authorities solely for security purposes. [Welles.]