710.Consultation 3/460: Telegram
The American Representative (Welles) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 24—1:42 a.m.]
45. After an all day debate in committee in which feelings ran exceedingly high and in the course of which I stated that I felt that [Page 35] unless a satisfactory agreement on the rupture of relations could be reached today the meeting of Foreign Ministers must publicly confess its complete incapacity to confront the vital issues of the moment a draft formula was agreed upon late this afternoon.
The text transmitted to the Department in my telegram no. 39, January 22, 9 a.m., is retained insofar as articles 1, 2, and 4 are concerned, except that in article 2 the word “mutual” is replaced with the word “reciprocal” and in article 4 the final phrase reads “may have a solidary character” instead of the explanation “collective and solidary”.
Article 3 which, of course, has been the crux of the debate in its present form reads as follows:
“The American Republics consequently, following the procedure established by their own laws within the position and circumstances of each country in the actual continental conflict, recommend the rupture of their diplomatic relations with Japan, Germany, and Italy, since the first of these states has attacked and the other two have declared war upon an American country.”
The interpretation to be given to the phrase “within the position and circumstances of each country in the actual continental conflict” refers to whether a country is ready [already] at war or has already broken relations.
Inasmuch as Argentina by means of this official declaration now joins with Chile and the other American Republics recommending that all of them break diplomatic relations with the Axis Powers the concrete effect is exactly the same as that which would have resulted in the text agreed upon on January 21.
At a formal session of the Political Committee this evening all of the 21 Foreign Ministers publicly voted for the project in the form now communicated to the Department.
The Uruguayan Foreign Minister publicly stated at this session of the Committee that he expected to be able to inform the conference tomorrow that Uruguay had already broken relations with the Axis Powers. The Peruvian Foreign Minister has informed me that his Government will likewise take action immediately and so have the Bolivian and Paraguayan Foreign Ministers.
The Chilean Foreign Minister came to see me this afternoon to inform me that he himself would break relations with the Axis Powers before the expiration of the term of office of the present Government. I have already fully reported the attitude of Brazil in this regard.