722.2315/2618a: Telegram

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

489. From the Under Secretary. Upon receipt by your Argentine and Brazilian colleagues of similar instructions, you are authorized to join with them in informing the Peruvian Foreign Minister that the three governments would be glad to see included jointly with them the Government of Chile in the tender of good offices.

At the same time it should be made clear that the Government of Ecuador has informed, through the Ambassador of Ecuador in Washington, the governments of Argentina, Brazil and the United States that in the event that Chile is added to the three governments now undertaking good offices, the Government of Ecuador desires that the Government of Mexico be likewise added to the list.

For your personal information you are informed that this Government had no prior knowledge of the renewed initiative with regard to the inclusion of Chile until it was informed that Foreign Minister Aranha in the course of his visit to Santiago had agreed with the Chilean Foreign Minister with regard thereto and had thereafter agreed with the Foreign Minister of Argentina as to the desirability of this step. You undoubtedly have seen press statements of public declarations made by the Argentine and Brazilian Foreign Ministers expressing their desire that Chile be added to the list of mediatory powers. As soon as it was informed of this step, this Government stated to Argentina and Brazil that while it had consistently taken the position that it would welcome the participation of Chile in the negotiations as it would welcome the participation of any other American republic, it nevertheless believed that the final determination of this question must rest with the Governments of Peru and of Ecuador.

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