611.3331/397: Telegram
The Chargé in Uruguay (Chapin) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5 p.m.]
257. Department’s 124, June 19, 8 p.m. In discussing the memorandum which I left with him yesterday the Foreign Minister admitted that he personally had not given much consideration to the supplemental list and he implied that most of the items had been put there more as a gesture to satisfy local industries rather than because of their commercial importance. He did, however, express [Page 569] considerable interest in obtaining a concession with regard to classifications of fine wools, although I endeavored to explain that Uruguay was not the principal source of United States imports.
While Guani reaffirmed the Uruguayan desire to sign its agreement more or less simultaneously with Argentina, I gathered the impression that now that the matter is approaching the negotiation stage his interest is not as keen as before, possibly because of the press of what he may feel to be more urgent business as well as because Uruguayan export trade to the United States is now extremely flourishing.
Due to the personal attention which he gives to each phase of the Foreign Office, Guani’s interest and active participation are essential to any substantial progress in negotiations. While the Legation is affording him every opportunity to prepare the way for the final negotiations in order to achieve a simultaneous conclusion I suggest that it would be inadvisable and probably ineffective to press Guani in view of the many other problems demanding his attention.