710. Consultation 4/2–246: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Brazil ( Berle )
187. Urtel 238, Feb. 2.14 Your understanding correct that US will not negotiate or sign with present regime in Argentina a treaty to implement Act of Chapultepec. However this Govt remains disposed at any time to negotiate and sign such a treaty with all American Republics except Argentina.
US has not requested and will not take initiative of requesting further postponement of Conference. If Brazil is not prepared to hold Conference without Argentina, then US would agree to suggestion of postponement by Brazil, but we would in that case insist that announcement of our attitude be withheld until after a substantial number of other republics have likewise accepted postponement proposal. As you will readily understand the reason for our putting the matter this way is that we wish to avoid any misinterpretation of our views along the lines that “the US has again suggested postponement”. In short, we will go along with postponement but do not wish to be put in position of taking lead; there is no reason we should do so since our position has been clear since last October.
The foregoing was drafted prior to the receipt of urtel 24614 and you may now communicate the substance of our views to the ForMin,15 along with an expression of our appreciation of the position in regard to general matters which he has informed you Brazil proposes to follow.
We expect to complete our statement of the Argentine case at a very early date.