710 Consultation (4)/10–3044: Telegram
The Chargé in Mexico (Bursley) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 31—3:21 a.m.]
1371. This afternoon Tello3 called me to the Foreign Office and, stating that he was speaking for the Minister,4 advised me as follows:
The Mexican Ambassador in Washington5 will be under instructions, when the question of the Argentine memorandum comes before the Governing Board of the Pan American Union, to state that there are various questions which could advisedly be taken up by a meeting of Foreign Ministers and that the American Governments should be afforded an opportunity to make suggestions for the agenda of such a meeting. The ideas behind this are that (1) it is not thought wise to accept or reject outright the Argentine proposal (2) this Mexican idea should afford a period of perhaps as much as 2 or 3 months for the preparation of the agenda, during which period the other American Republics will be afforded an opportunity to observe whether or not Argentina carries out her current promises of cooperation. If these are carried out, there is no reason why relations could not be resumed thus avoiding having this question discussed at a meeting of Foreign Ministers. If, however, Argentina fails to carry out these new assurances, there is no reason why this should not be openly stated.
We are telegraphing separately the exact Spanish text of a statement Padilla will make to the press tonight. In general this seems consistent with the Department’s ideas. Tello points out that the word “government” with respect to the Argentine is not used. In response to my inquiry as to whether Argentines could make tendentious use of the second paragraph of the statement, Tello said that he did not think so. He stated that the paragraph would not be necessary had not the Foreign Minister recently indicated some sympathy towards a meeting of Foreign Ministers. He pointed out that reference was made to the thought that the eventual meeting of Foreign Ministers would deal with a number of questions of common interest to the American Republics.
Tello said the Foreign Office has information to the effect that the Argentine Minister of Agriculture, who recently resigned, was one [Page 29] of the most pro-Nazi members of the Argentine regime and that his resignation may be due to his disapproval of the Argentine proposal. Tello seemed encouraged but not convinced by this and other recent developments in the Argentine, such as assurances that Nazi individuals and capital would not find refuge in Argentina, as well as by the suppression of pro-Axis newspapers.6
He said that some of the other American Governments seemed to favor the meeting proposed by Argentina on the ground that denial could not juridically be given to the Argentine request since the Pan American Union is made up of nations rather than of governments.
I am convinced that the Mexican Government is continuing wholehearted cooperation in this Argentine matter. Anything said by Tello which might possibly give a contrary impression seems to be based upon his desire to give all available information and not with the thought of giving aid or comfort to the Argentine regime until it has proved that it will sincerely cooperate.