722.2315/1469: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Peru ( Norweb )

100. Your 176, May 15, 2 p.m.20 The Secretary this afternoon issued the following statement to the press:

“In response to an inquiry as to the reaction in Peru to the offer of the Governments of Argentina, Brazil and the United States of their friendly offices in order to bring about a definitive solution of the Ecuador–Peru boundary dispute, the Secretary today made the following statement:

‘I am glad to have the opportunity of reiterating once again that this Government was motivated in offering to Ecuador and Peru its friendly offices solely by the most friendly desire to assist in settling, once and for all, the longstanding boundary dispute between those two neighboring countries. This Government is happy to have been associated with the Governments of Argentina and Brazil in this tender of friendly offices.

In some quarters it has been insinuated that this Government participated in this friendly initiative in order to obtain bases on the Galápagos Islands.21 I wish to take this opportunity to state categorically and definitely that the United States has not, in any way, discussed with Ecuador the question of bases on the Galápagos Islands. Moreover, the willingness of this Government to consider making available to Ecuador two coastal patrol vessels and military supplies has absolutely no relation to the offer of friendly good offices but derives solely from a general policy of this Government made known to each and every one of the American Republics, to cooperate insofar as possible in military and naval matters for the purpose of strengthening the defense of the Western Hemisphere.’”

Hull
  1. Not printed.
  2. For correspondence regarding interest of the United States in the Galápagos Islands, see Foreign Relations, 1940, vol. v, pp. 850 ff.