810.20 Defense/8–444
Memorandum by the Ambassador in Cuba (Braden)15 to the Assistant Chief, Division of American Republics Analysis and Liaison (Johnson)
The memorandum “Instructions for Staff Conversations With Military and Naval Representatives of the Other American Republics”16 goes into so many matters which directly bear upon the political and diplomatic aspects of our relations with the other American republics as to render it imperative that the consideration and, even more, the discussion and negotiation of these matters in many cases be done by and in all cases be under the direction of the Department and our several embassies. To leave negotiations of this nature to military and naval officers would violate the fundamental law that the Department of State is charged with the conduct of our foreign affairs.
So soon as the ends sought by the War and Navy Departments in these instructions have been approved by the Department of State then, in keeping with the circumstances existent in each republic and in consultation with the respective diplomatic missions, separate programs for the accomplishment of these ends and to meet the conditions in each country should be laid down and thereafter negotiations inaugurated.
Of course at all times we should proceed in closest collaboration with the War and Navy Departments. Also it would be desirable for the chiefs of our diplomatic missions to have military and/or naval officers as technical advisers and, moreover, these, always under the direction of the Ambassador, could on certain technical features [Page 112] carry forward discussions with the military or naval experts of the other republic with whom we might be dealing.
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