840.50/2463: Telegram

The Ambassador in Ecuador (Scotten) to the Secretary of State

748. The Minister for Foreign Affairs26 spoke to me this afternoon regarding draft of reply he has prepared to a note received from the Colombian Minister for Foreign Affairs, suggesting joint action by the other American Republics which have severed relations with the Axis vis-à-vis the Declaration of the United Nations. The Colombian note, with which the Department is probably already familiar, expressed a willingness to adhere to the United Nations Declaration in case the other Republics did likewise. The Ecuadoran draft reply as explained by the Minister, while by no means closing the door to an eventual adherence to the United Nations Declaration suggests that Ecuador’s adherence would not further the cause of the Allies in the war in view of the material inability of Ecuador to furnish more aid to the Allied cause than it is doing at present. The Minister said he would give me a copy of the reply as soon as he hands it to the Colombian Ambassador here, which he will probably do day [Page 50] after tomorrow after having submitted it to the Foreign Relations Committee of the Congress.

Scotten
  1. Francisco Guarderas.