Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, General, Volume I

840.50/2579: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Bolivia (Boal)

Washington, September 29, 1943—9 p.m.

1208. Your 1568, September 24, 10 a.m. Within your discretion you may reply to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs along the following lines:

1. This Government is hopeful that the Bolivian Government and all of the other Governments of the United Nations and of the Nations associated with them in this war will wish to sign the proposed agreement. However it is for each Government to make its decision without any feeling of pressure upon it, and with a clear understanding of the obligations which would be placed upon member governments by the agreement.

2. The obligations incurred by signatories of the agreement under Articles V and VI are not specific and each member government will be free, after signature of the agreement, to determine, through its appropriate constitutional procedure, the extent and character of the contributions to be made by it. However, should member governments not take the necessary subsequent steps to implement the agreement, through contributions of administrative funds under Article VI and of supplies and other resources for relief and rehabilitation under Article V, the agreement would be meaningless.

3. Therefore this Government would not urge any Government to sign the agreement if such government had no intention of seeking, through its appropriate constitutional procedure, to make at least the following minimum contributions: (a) its allotted share of the administrative expenses of the organization, which in total amount will be small compared with the overall cost of supplies and operations to be covered by contributions under Article V, and which no doubt will be allocated to the individual member governments on the basis of their relative capacity to contribute; and (b) such contribution of supplies, services or funds in foreign or domestic currency as it may be in a position to spare out of its own economy and which it may be able to finance. It is recognized that in the case of many countries contributions under the second category will be very small but it is believed that every Government will be able to find ways and means of making some such contributions to the relief and rehabilitation of the victims of the war if it so desires.

4. This Government appreciates the frankness of the Subsecretary for Foreign Affairs in placing the present position of the Bolivian Government on this matter before you. It is hoped sincerely however that after careful consideration of the subject the Bolivian Government will wish to have some part in this great task and that it therefore will wish to become a member of the proposed organization.²¹

Berle

21. In telegram No. 1704, October 27, 7 p.m., the Ambassador in Bolivia reported: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has now informed the Embassy orally that the Bolivian Government will definitely sign the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agreement and that instructions are now being drafted Ambassador Guachalla to sign.” (840.50/2891)