835.00/1–2846: Airgram
The Ambassador in El Salvador ( Simmons ) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 4—2:53 p.m.]
A–24. In a conversation with Foreign Minister this morning on another matter, Dr. Escobar Serrano inquired in a general way as to the status of our relations with Argentina. This gave me an opportunity to bring to his attention, with considerable emphasis, the Department’s views in regard to the recent Argentine move reported by Ambassador Messersmith, as outlined in the Department’s circular telegram of January 26, 8 p.m. [a.m.].
Dr. Escobar Serrano showed great interest and expressed his definite support of our position in considering the Argentine question as a matter of common interest to all the American republics and not one of mediation between any two American governments.
He volunteered the opinion that the Mexico City move was an obvious political maneuver on Argentina’s part. He said that his own Government had not been approached in any way by the Argentine Government along these lines, although it had recently received from that Government what appeared to be a general descriptive circular setting forth the Argentine position in carrying out its hemispheric obligations.
He described the Argentine nation as proud and sensitive, indicating that perhaps in the past certain positions adopted by the American republics, which might have appeared to Argentina as interventionary in character, may have had the effect of consolidating their nationalism rather than encouraging democratic elements to bring pressure against the Farrell regime.
He continued on this theme by assuring me again of the entire support of our position by the Salvadoran Government and by expressing the view that, in future dealings with Argentina, we may always count upon the full support of the Salvadoran Government for our policies, particularly as regards the community of interest of the other American republics in dealing with the Argentine question.