611.2131/11–244

The Chargé in Colombia ( Daniels ) to the Secretary of State

No. 4683

Sir: I have the honor to enclose a copy of a memorandum dated October 31, 1944,69 handed to me personally by the Minister of Foreign [Page 828] Affairs70 on that date which, after citing several precedents,71 concludes as follows:

“With such precedents, the Government of Colombia does not doubt that the Government of the United States of America, through the procedure which it deems most adequate, and in accordance with the spirit of the economic policy of the Continent, will express its conformity in not invoking the provisions of Article VII of the Agreement of 1935,72 with reference to the exclusive commercial advantages Colombia may grant to bordering or neighboring countries.”

I inquired of Dr. Echandía when he handed me the memorandum whether he had in mind the reciprocal granting of commercial advantages between Colombia and Peru. He smilingly replied in the negative, and said that he did have in mind the possible reciprocal extension of commercial advantages between Colombia and Venezuela und Ecuador. He did not specify in more detail the nature of such possible concessions nor did he mention any specific commodities. I remarked that I did not feel competent at the time to comment on the proposal embodied in this memorandum, but would transmit it to my Government for appropriate study and with a view to receiving instructions. I should appreciate receiving instructions at an early date regarding the nature of the reply which should be made to the enclosed memorandum.

Respectfully yours,

Paul C. Daniels
  1. Not printed.
  2. Dario Echandía.
  3. The precedents were the agreements of the United States in 1942 not to invoke the most-favored-nation clause against Haiti in its trade negotiations with the Dominican Republic and against Peru in its dealings with contiguous countries. For the texts of the exchange of notes between the United States and Haiti, signed February 16 and 19, 1942, see Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 238, or 56 Stat. (pt. 2) 1415; for the agreement between the United States and Peru, signed May 7, 1942, see Executive Agreement Series No. 256, or 56 Stat. (pt. 2) 1509.
  4. Agreement of September 13, 1935; for text, see Executive Agreement Series No. 89, or 49 Stat. (pt. 2) 3875. Article VII provided for a reciprocal observance of most-favored-nation treatment.