840.50/2321: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Colombia ( Lane )
971. Your 1331, August 3, 6 p.m. Please express to Turbay our sincere appreciation for his friendly cooperation in consulting with us regarding any possible change in Colombia’s status vis-à-vis the war which might result from participation in the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. In doing so you may assure Turbay that it has not been the intention or desire of this Government to bring up this question in connection with the plans which must necessarily be made for handling problems of international importance in the post-war period, and that in our opinion no new problems are presented by the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration which had not already been considered in connection with the United Nations Conference on Food and Agriculture.8 At that Conference all participating nations played a helpful role without distinction in regard to their degree of participation in the present war; and in the work of relief and rehabilitation which must be undertaken no need is perceived for raising such distinctions among the participating governments. It is very doubtful that participation by Colombia in this humanitarian work, in cooperation with most of the civilized world, would be interpreted in any quarter as affecting in any degree the juridical or political status of Colombia. It is the hope of this Government that Colombia, as well as the other American republics which have broken relations with the Axis, will take an active interest in such cooperative undertakings and lend the full force of their influence and support toward bringing about a better world organization.
[Page 43]The foregoing comments should not be considered as affecting in any way the further suggestion of Turbay as to the desirability of Colombia and the other American republics in a similar situation exchanging views and progressing in harmony towards a further clarification of their status in regard to the war and the post-war problems which will follow its conclusion. The Department believes that joint action in this respect should facilitate the working out of satisfactory procedures, and will be glad to lend its full cooperation in any joint discussions of the matter which may take place in Washington between the Ambassadors of those countries.
The Department has already informally suggested, when its opinion has been requested, that consultation between those republics which have not declared war on the Axis but which have complied with their inter-American commitments would be in order with a view to a determination as to any further definition of their position which they might wish to undertake. The Department, however, does not feel that this Government should have any formal participation in such consultation although, as you know, we are always ready to discuss such matters on an informal and individual basis with the representatives in Washington of the republics concerned.
In conclusion, I hope you will emphasize to Turbay my appreciation of his helpful attitude in this and in all other matters of inter-American concern and at the same time stress my confident hope that this question of the definition of the juridical and political status of Colombia vis-à-vis the war will not be permitted to hinder or delay the splendid cooperation which Colombia has rendered in such practical matters as the Food Conference and can continue to render in relation to the relief and rehabilitation program.
- See vol. i, pp. 820 ff.↩