740.00111A.R.–N.C./35
The Minister in Honduras (Erwin) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 5.]
Sir: With reference to the Department’s circular telegram of January 27, 3 p.m. (1940), which was received at this Legation via San Salvador, El Salvador, on Sunday morning, January 28, at 11 a.m., regarding the resolution recently adopted by the Neutrality Committee now in session at Rio, I have the honor to report that I sought and was accorded an audience with the Honduran Foreign Minister26 this morning at 11 o’clock.
After informal explanation was made of the question raised in the resolution recently adopted by the Neutrality Committee as to the competence of that committee to deal with problems arising from the Declaration of Panama, Minister Aguirre stated, without qualification, that when the matter is brought officially to his attention through his Legation at Washington, he will inform Minister Cáceres that the attitude of the Honduran Government is that the Neutrality Committee is fully competent to deal with the matters under inquiry. The Foreign Minister agreed that the Neutrality Committee is ideally equipped to make a thorough study of the proposals submitted by the other American Republics with a view to making definitive recommendations. He stated that he would confer with President Carías in anticipation of such an inquiry through other channels.
The Foreign Minister reiterated the desire of himself and his Government to act in full accord with the course suggested in this instance and that followed by the United States Government in all the questions arising out of the sessions of the Neutrality Committee. I expressed the appreciation of my Government for this attitude and emphasized that the thought motivating the Department in the suggestion [Page 273] is to increase unity of action so essential to give full strength to any accord reached by the Latin-American powers in dealing with problems arising from the Declaration of Panama.
Respectfully yours,
- Salvador Aguirre.↩