722.2315/2759
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)
| Participants: | Argentine Ambassador, Señor Don Felipe A. Espil; |
| Brazilian Ambassador, Mr. Carlos Martins; | |
| Under Secretary, Mr. Welles. |
The Ambassadors of Argentina and Brazil called to see me this afternoon at my request.
I showed to the two Ambassadors the most recent telegrams received from the Embassy at Lima, notably the telegram of December 1841 relating to the opinions expressed by General Ureta,42 which deal with the boundary dispute.
I said that it seemed to me that, if there was any chance of procuring a settlement of the boundary dispute at least in principle before the Rio de Janeiro meeting, the three mediatory powers should now act with decision and dispatch. I therefore desired to present for the consideration of the Argentine and Brazilian Governments the following suggestions:
- 1
- —That the three mediatory powers suggest simultaneously to Ecuador and Peru that the status quo line of 1936 be accepted by both Governments as the basis of a permanent settlement;
- 2
- —That if the two Governments agreed the Government of Peru should immediately withdraw its troops back to the 1936 line;
- 3
- —That after these two steps had been taken the Governments of Ecuador and Peru send representatives to Buenos Aires to negotiate in the presence of representatives of three mediatory powers the final details of a permanent settlement upon the basis proposed;
- 4
- —That simultaneously with the presentation of these proposals to Ecuador and Peru the three mediatory powers inform all of the Governments of the other republics of the suggestions so advanced.
Both the Argentine and Brazilian Ambassadors expressed their enthusiastic agreement and stated that they would at once cable their Governments, strongly recommending agreement with these suggestions. They said they would endeavor to obtain a reply at the earliest possible moment.