824.50/25
The Bolivian Legation to the Department of State
[Translation]
Memorandum
The Legation of Bolivia has received instructions to communicate with the Department of State in response to its Memorandum of August 1, 1941 with respect to a plan of “collaboration” over a long period for the development of economic relations between Bolivia and the United States and the development of the national economy and resources of Bolivia, as follows:
- (1)
- The Government of Bolivia is pleased to give its approval to the suggestions contained in the mentioned Memorandum of the Department of State, and it believes that its appropriate application will result in positive benefits for the economy of the two countries.
- (2)
- Undoubtedly the problem of Bolivian communications is the most important and, consistent with this, it is necessary to study it in its various aspects; political, economic and technical. With respect to the railways, Bolivia has the important problem of terminating the construction of the Vila Vila–Santa Cruz line, the connecting link between the Pacific (Arica) and the Atlantic (Santos) which the Second Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs at Havana declared to be of importance and utility for the continental defense.70
- (3)
- The Government of Bolivia considers it of the greatest importance that the American technicians and experts mentioned in the [Page 440] Memorandum of August 1, 1941 be sent and for this purpose, requests a prompt decision concerning this matter.
- (4)
- Along with the technicians and experts in communications, agriculture, and mining, the Government of Bolivia requests especially the assignment of a technician in petroleum, whose studies would complete the picture of economic possibilities of Bolivia.
Washington
, September
9, 1941.