810.20 Defense/9–1840: Telegram
The Chargé in Argentina ( Tuck ) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 18—7 p.m.]
419. For the Under Secretary. Department’s 215, Sept. 16, 7 p.m. I called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs this afternoon and conveyed to him confidentially the purport of the third paragraph of your telegram No. 209 of Sept. 12, 3 p.m. Dr. Roca said that he had heard nothing on this subject from Dr. Melo since the latter’s return from the United States. He added by way of explanation that with the great volume of work which faced him on his assuming office it had been difficult for him as yet to take up many important matters or to see many people he would have liked to see. He said that he would talk with Melo on this subject at an early date and would also bring it to the attention of the Vice President. He would then let me know if the Argentine authorities were agreeable to such informal staff conversations.
I stressed the desirability of these confidential and informal talks and said that Colonel Christian and Captain Brereton stood ready to [Page 37] initiate them whenever the Argentine authorities intimated that they were agreeable to the proposal. I added that if a preference should be expressed for the senior naval adviser, Captain Metz would be designated to replace Captain Brereton.