821.00/6–2948
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Central America and Panama Affairs (Newbegin)
Ambassador Sevilla Sacasa called this afternoon …
The Ambassador then launched into an attack on revolutionary activities in Costa Rica which might result in an invasion of Nicaragua. At this point, I told him it was my understanding that Costa Rica had recently made several gestures in order to improve relations between [Page 531] that country and Nicaragua, and it was my hope that the Nicaraguans would feel themselves in a position to reciprocate. I explained that the general Central American situation was a cause of great concern to us and that I was not endeavoring to assess the blame on any specific country. It was nevertheless apparent that rumors of attack from one country and another were increasingly frequent, and that there had been a general degeneration in the over-all relations of the various Central American countries with each other. In this connection, the Ambassador was informed that we had reports of several reconnaissance flights by Nicaraguan planes over Costa Rican territory. I added that the Nicaraguans should understand that the Costa Rican Government might legitimately question Nicaraguan actions in this regard; that it should be borne in mind that Nicaragua had, after all, sent one thousand troops into Costa Rica to subdue the forces of the present Costa Rican Government when it was combating the Picado-Calderon Guardia forces. It was accordingly an encouraging sign when the Costa Rican Government was willing to make some gesture to establish better relations with Nicaragua.
The Ambassador went on to describe in some detail the obligations which the Figueres Government might have to Guatemala, and to condemn Guatemala and President Arévalo in strong terms. He emphasized that Nicaragua would most certainly defend herself against any attack. I agreed with him that there was no question as to the right of any country to resort to necessary measures for self defense. At the same time, I pointed out that it was thoroughly undesirable that action taken by one country outside its own frontiers should be disguised as defense measures. I explained that action of that type destroyed completely the moral position of a country which might otherwise be entitled to general sympathy in the event of an attack by its neighbors. Ambassador Sevilla Sacasa said that he was in complete agreement on this count, and that he had recommended to his Government the greatest caution and patience. I told him that I had spoken along similar lines to one or two of the other Central American representatives here. (In the course of an intimate luncheon given by Ambassador Esquivel today, I had the opportunity to praise the well-known policy of Costa Rica in not intervening in its neighbors’ affairs and in strictly minding its own business. I expressed the hope that Costa Rica would maintain its traditional policy in this regard. Ambassador Esquivel indicated that this was Costa Rica’s desire and that it had already made an approach to the Nicaraguans with the view to improving relations. He had personally spoken to Ambassador Sevilla Sacasa to see what might be done by way of improving relations).
The conversation with Sevilla Sacasa was cordial throughout and he expressed his sincere appreciation of the Department’s views.