818.00/4–748: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Costa Rica
79. You may bring to attention of Costa Rican FonMin, Dept’s circular telegram March 22, 1948, six a. m. relative our conversations with both Nicaragua and Guatemala. You should inform him that these actions have been accompanied by other informal approaches to both Govts urging adherence to various non-intervention agreements. You may further express to him Dept’s regret that our action, which has been guided solely by desire to localize purely Costa Rican domestic situation and to avoid Costa Rica becoming scene of conflict of opposing outside interests, has been interpreted as being in any way unfriendly [Page 506] to Picado Govt. U.S. attitude has been guided solely by friendship for and interest in Costa Rica and desire that she reach promptly her own settlement of her present problem without outside interference.1
- Ambassador Davis replied in despatch 172, April 9, not printed, that he had called on Acting Minister Bonilla Lara on that date and repeated to him orally the substance of the Department’s telegram 79; Mr. Bonilla Lara’s only comment was that he thought General Somoza had somewhat misrepresented the matter, for the Government of Costa Rica had only sought to purchase arms, not to borrow any army, and had, in fact, rejected Somoza’s offer of men as being “inconveniente” (818.00/4–948).↩