835.01/212: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State

1930. Following is official Hansard text93 of statement made in House of Commons yesterday by Mr. Eden,94 in reply to query as to whether it was Government’s intention to maintain relations with the present Government of Argentina:

“On February 25 it was announced in Buenos Aires that, ‘fatigued by the intense tasks of government,’ President Ramírez had delegated his functions to the Vice-President, General Farrell. In view of the obscurity surrounding the circumstances in which this announcement came to be made, His Majesty’s Ambassador95 has, since that time, confined his communications to the Argentine Government to routine matters only, and a similar procedure is being observed as regards communications between His Majesty’s Government and the Argentine Ambassador in London. This attitude will be maintained pending developments in Buenos Aires. I might add that His Majesty’s Government attach particular importance to definite action being taken to fulfil the declarations made by General Mason on February 28 and General Farrell on March 3 that the foreign policy of General Ramírez will be continued unchanged. The House will observe this attitude corresponds to that taken up by the United States Government, with whom we are of course in close and constant contact on this matter.”

Asked when he might make a full statement concerning Argentine affairs Foreign Secretary said he thought the statement he had just made was as complete as he could make “about an indefinite and incomplete situation”.

Winant
  1. Parliamentary Debates, House of Commons, 5th series, vol. 397, col. 2028.
  2. Anthony Eden, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
  3. Sir David Kelly.