710 Consultation 4/6–2047
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Brazilian Affairs (Allan Dawson)
| Participants: | Mr. Carlos Martins, Ambassador of Brazil |
| A–Br—Mr. Braden | |
| ARA—Mr. Briggs7 | |
| BA—Mr. Dawson |
The Brazilian Ambassador called and left a memorandum of which the following is a translation:
“The Brazilian Government has taken cognizance of the fact that the American Government insists on prior agreement on the principles of the treaty which is the object of the Rio de Janeiro Conference and consequently prefers the date of October for the calling of the Conference.
“In this regard the Brazilian Government desires to point out that there is no guarantee whatever that the date of October would not interfere with the General Assembly of the United Nations, which is to meet on September 15 with a very heavy agenda and presumably a duration of more than six weeks.
“The Brazilian Government considers more advisable that the Rio de Janeiro Conference be convened at the end of November.
“The Brazilian Government is of the opinion that whatever the time for prior consultation any agreement through separate consultations on the eight drafts or proposals now in existence is impossible.
“The Brazilian Government therefore suggests that the agreement in question be attempted through the delegates to the Pan American Union as the sole means of eliminating fundamental differences.”
The Ambassador then stated that he had just come from the White House where he had extended an invitation to President Truman from President Dutra to visit Brazil. He said that the President indicated that he would be glad to accept the invitation and that he hoped to make his trip at the time of the Rio de Janeiro Conference, mentioning the possibility of making the voyage on the USS Missouri.
Mr. Martins pointed out that these developments made the November date most recently suggested by his Government for the Conference a difficult one since the President would presumably not wish to be away for a protracted spell while Congress was in session. The Ambassador thought that, under the circumstances, perhaps an August date would be the most practicable.
[Page 5]Following press reports, based on a statement by Ambassador Martins as he left the White House, that the President had accepted the invitation, the following was released to the press at the White House:
“The President told the Ambassador he was happy to receive the invitation and hoped he would be able to come.”
Mr. Stanley Woodward of S/S–PR, who was present at Ambassador Martins’ meeting with the President, confirms that the latter indicated that he would like to visit Rio de Janeiro at the time of the Conference on the USS Missouri but said that his movements were necessarily somewhat limited by whether Congress were in session. The Ambassador pointed out that no date had yet been set for the Conference which was under discussion with the Department. The President then said that he would be glad to consider the question of the date of his trip after that of the date of the Conference had been decided. Mr. Woodward states that nothing was said by the President which would definitely make the visit coincide with the Conference.
- Ellis O. Briggs, Director of the Office of American Republic Affairs.↩