810.20 Defense/6–340: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Argentina ( Armour )31

85. Personal for the Chief of Mission. Reference Department’s 76, May 23, 12 noon. It is important that prior to the arrival of the officers in the capital of the country to which you are accredited to undertake the conversations alluded to in the telegram referred to above that there should be a clear understanding between the local officials designated to take part in the conversations and yourself that the American officers concerned are to act entirely under your auspices and are to make no suggestions or hold any discussion on points which have not first been taken up with and approved by you.

The underlying basis of the proposed conversations is one of mutual [Page 18] cooperation for continental security. Since agreement in principle that there should be such cooperation has already been obtained from the highest authorities of the country to which you are accredited, the primary purpose of the proposed conversations should be directed at determining the form that such cooperation should take and specifically the kind and extent of the measures which the local authorities are prepared to contribute to that cooperation. The Department expects of course that you will personally participate in and guide the conversations and that you will bear in mind the necessity for conducting these conversations in such a manner as to avoid offending local susceptibilities.

Hull
  1. Sent, mutatis mutandis, to Chile as No. 90, to Colombia as No. 92, to Ecuador as No. 57, to Peru as No. 60, to Uruguay as No. 51, and to Venezuela as No. 54.