811.24522/12–447
The Ambassador in Ecuador (Simmons) to the Secretary of State
No. 6286
Sir: I have the honor to refer to my despatch no. 6265 of November 24, 194745 entitled “Conversation Concerning Galápagos Islands Situation, with Ecuadoran Minister of Defense Colonel Angel Vaquero Davila and Brigadier General Glen C. Jamison”, and to inform the Department that Captain Michael P. Russillo, shortly before his final departure from Ecuador on December 1 as Chief of the United States Naval Mission here, was given by Captain J. Alberto Sanchez L., Chief of the Ecuadoran Naval Forces, informally and confidentially, a statement embodying Captain Sanchez’s views and presumably those of the Minister of National Defense in regard to the terms of an agreement concerning the Galápagos Islands base which presumably would be acceptable to the Ecuadoran Government.
Captain Russillo, in telling me of this statement of Ecuadoran views, emphasized that it could not be considered as official in character at the present time. He said, however, that he considered it as a kind of tentative oiler made informally to him in the hope that it might be transmitted to the American Government for its informal consideration. It naturally would not require a definite answer from our Government, but he felt that, should we wish later to give any unofficial or informal comments on it, such comments would be welcomed.
I would emphasize that this action was taken entirely without any suggestion on our part, either definite or implied, and it would indicate a revived interest of the Ecuadoran Government in coming to a definite basis of settlement for the Galápagos Islands base question. I believe that this revived interest may be traced directly to the recent trip made to the Galápagos by a group of Ecuadorans, including the Minister of National Defense, as described in my despatch no. 6264 of November 24,45 entitled “Trip to the Galápagos Islands”.
Captain Russillo will arrive shortly in Washington and will be available for any discussions which the Department may wish to make in regard to the present matter.
It is his opinion that, although certain terms of the present proposals would probably be unacceptable, the proposal is basically a fairly reasonable one and, with proper modification, might form the basis for definite action on this controversial issue in the near future.
[Page 690]I would emphasize once more that the Embassy has taken no initiative in this matter whatever, although the question was discussed in general terms during my visit to the Gálapagos Islands as reported in my despatch first referred to above.
A translation of the informal proposals in question46a is transmitted herewith as an enclosure to the present despatch.
Respectfully yours,