840.51 Frozen Credits/7815
The Bolivian Embassy to the Department of State
The Bolivian Embassy refers to an Aide-Mémoire of the State Department dated September 22, 1942, regarding the exchange facilities which the Banco Central de Bolivia continues to grant to firms inimical to the security of the Western Hemisphere, despite the assurances contained in a letter of the Bolivian Ambassador addressed to the Honourable Sumner Welles, Under Secretary of State of the United States of America,24 in which was quoted another letter, received by the Ambassador from His Excellency Eduardo Anze Matienzo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, stating that the Government of [Page 628] Bolivia would do everything necessary to prevent the irregularities mentioned in an Aide-Mémoire of the Under Secretary of State of the United States of America, dated May 20, 1942, regarding said exchange facilities.
- 2.
- In reply, the Bolivian Embassy wishes to confirm the confidence expressed in the Aide-Mémoire of the Department of State dated September 22, 1942, to the effect that it is the firm intention of the Government of Bolivia to comply with the provisions contained in Resolution V adopted at the Third Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American Republics and with those contained in the resolutions of the recent Inter-American Conference on Systems of Economic and Financial Control which implemented said Resolution V of the Rio de Janeiro Meeting.
- 3.
- However, at the present time [the Embassy] is unable to explain the reasons why exchange facilities are still being granted to firms inimical to the security of the Western Hemisphere and has, therefore, consulted the matter with the Bolivian Government. Until more accurate information on the matter is made available, it anticipates to explain why said facilities are being granted by recalling that, during an interview of their Excellencies the Ministers of Finance and of National Economy of Bolivia with the Honourable Dean Acheson, Assistant to the Secretary of State of the United States, it was pointed-out that great difficulties were entailed in the immediate substitution of some important firms inimical to the security of the Western Hemisphere by others of Bolivian or friendly nationality, a fact that was accepted as evident by the Honourable Dean Acheson.
- 4.
- As soon as a reply is received from the Bolivian Government this Embassy will be glad to again approach the State Department on the subject.
- Dated June 11, 1942, not printed.↩