Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The American Republics, Volume VII

810.20 Defense/1769: Telegram

The Minister in Ecuador (Long) to the Secretary of State

Quito, December 14, 1941—3 p.m.
[Received 9:05 p.m.]

536. For the Under Secretary. Department’s 388, December 13, 9 p.m.²⁶ Foreign Minister is cabling Ambassador Alfaro (Ecuadoran Ambassador at Washington) to inaugurate negotiations forthwith at Washington.²⁷ He feels that it is tremendously urgent that the matter be quickly settled and hopes that it may be done so as not to prejudice Ecuador’s position in the mediation.

Doctor Tobar said that ever since the Habana Conference²⁸ he has hoped this might come about; that he will collaborate by acting quickly whenever Alfaro consults him.

Long

26. Not printed; for the substance of this instruction, see supra.
27. These negotiations, which related to a defense understanding, continued until January 31, 1942.
28. July 21–30, 1940; for correspondence, see Foreign Relations, 1940, vol. v, pp. 180 ff.