810.20 Defense/9–1240: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Argentina ( Tuck )
209. From the Under Secretary. Department’s 179, August 10, 2 p.m. The Department is without word, since Dr. Melo’s return to [Page 35] Buenos Aires, whether the Argentine authorities are agreeable to the proposed staff conversations. You are requested, accordingly, to take up the matter with the appropriate authorities, pointing out that on the occasion of Dr. Melo’s visit to this country we fully discussed together the desirability of staff conversations between representatives of our two countries, and inquiring whether the Argentine authorities are prepared to enter into such informal staff conversations with Colonel Christian and Captain Brereton preferably upon their return from Asunción some time next week.
If necessary, the two officers could go first to Montevideo and the talks in Buenos Aires could be postponed until these had been terminated, but I concur in the views of Minister Wilson that the talks in Montevideo would be much more productive if some agreement in principle had first been accomplished in Buenos Aires.
It is the Department’s understanding that Colonel Christian and Captain Brereton already have copies of the proposed agenda which are no doubt available in the Embassy for presentation to the appropriate Argentine authorities in case they are disposed to agree to the staff conversations. [Welles.]