840.50/2371: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile (Bowers)
852. Your 1417, August 11, 8 p.m. The Department would be gratified to have the Chilean Government take the action with respect to the plans for relief and rehabilitation indicated in the draft instruction [Page 966] to the Chilean Ambassador in Washington.88 It would be understood of course that such action would not imply a decision on the part of the Chilean Government to sign the present draft agreement without alteration. Furthermore the signature of the agreement as it now stands would in no way obligate the Chilean Government to contribute for the stated purposes beyond the amount which the Chilean Government itself should decide could be given without prejudice to the national economy. Under the terms of Article V of the draft agreement each member government would retain full power to decide for itself what contributions it should make.
With reference to the composition and functions of the Central Committee, which in the draft agreement is limited to four countries for administrative efficiency, it is believed that the objections raised by the Chilean Government have been fully commented upon in the Department’s mimeographed instruction of July 13, 1943 and the enclosures thereto. You are authorized to hand the Undersecretary a memorandum containing such information contained in that instruction and its enclosures as may be useful in fully clarifying this point, omitting reference to Baron Boel and any other similar specific references not pertinent to the general question.
- Chilean note dated August 20, 1943, not printed.↩