Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The American Republics, Volume IV

617.18/7–2954

Memorandum of Telephone Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Holland)¹

confidential

[Washington,] July 29, 1954—7:55 p.m.

Subject:

• Nicaraguan-Costa Rican Relations

• Participants: Ambassador Robert C. Hill—San José, Costa Rica
• Assistant Secretarty Henry F. Holland

Mr. Holland telephoned and told Ambassador Hill that after talking with him earlier he called Ambassador Whelan and asked him to go back and see President Somoza and tell him that we would do our best to get something accomplished on the three requirements² that the President had established but that Mr. Holland would like assurance that there would be peace and tranquillity during period of time we would be working on it and asked Ambassador Whelan to determine whether we could count on it. Ambassador Whelan said that he would.

Ambassador Whelan told Mr. Holland that the President had told him that he was conducting military maneuvers of about 1000 troops at the following places: Rivas, Pena Blanca, Cardenas and Las Bohenes. Mr. Holland told him that any such maneuvers as that would make it impossible for him to accomplish anything and that if the troops were sent to those places Mr. Holland would feel compelled to drop his efforts to mediate because he would feel that the situation was hopeless. He asked Whelan to speak to the President and call him back. Amb. Whelan had called back and said the President has reiterated that if the three requests were met he would immediately invite a meeting of the Foreign Ministers.

As regards the troops Amb. Whelan said that they were already at those places and therefore he could not call them off, but Somoza did invite him to send the head of our MAAG Mission and our Military Attaché to inspect those troops to be certain that they were doing nothing but maneuvering. Amb. Whelan is sending the officers, both colonels, immediately to go and inspect the troops and be certain that they are doing nothing but maneuvering. So Mr. Holland thinks that Amb. Hill can properly report to the Costa Rican Government that, though they get reports of troops, our officers are with the troops at the request of the Nicaraguan President to make certain they are doing nothing but maneuvering. Amb. Hill said they have already received report of the troops and report is that they have gone down with tanks as well as men. He said that from Nicaragua there is an INS article in Prensa Libre headlining, “If Figueres wants war, he can have it,” and naturally they are being bombarded as to what is going on. Amb. Hill said he assumes that the man north of them is playing up the war of nerves to the nth degree until the requirements are satisfied. Mr. Holland asked Amb. Hill what he thought the reaction would be if the reply comes through us. Mr. Holland had told Amb. Whelan that if he ran into difficulty in obtaining the note he was going to suggest as an alternative that it come through Department. He said he didn’t know what the reaction would be.

Amb. Hill said Foreign Minister Esquivel has just talked with him and said he was working on the note and will have it in Amb. Facio’s hands this evening. Mr. Holland said he had talked with Amb. Facio who had a conference call set for 8 p.m. Mr. Holland said they were doing their part here.

Amb. Hill asked for suggestions as to what he might do. Mr. Holland said he would have no objection to Amb. Hill, and Amb. Hill only, saying to press that with respect to any reported concentration of troops on Nicaraguan side we have been advised that they are routine maneuvers and that the Government of Nicaragua has invited the head of our MAAG Mission and our Military Attaché to inspect the troops in the course of their maneuvers and that the invitation has been accepted. Mr. Holland said Amb. Hill should use the authority he has given him only in the event that Amb. Hill thinks it is necessary to allay real unrest there. Mr. Holland repeated that Amb. Hill is to make statement that he is advised by the Department that the Government of Nicaragua has advised the Department that this movement of troops is purely military maneuvers and that head of our MAAG Mission and our Military Attaché have been invited to inspect the maneuvers and have accepted the invitation.

Amb. Hill said he would keep us posted.

1. Drafted by Mabel Karydakis of the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs.
2. In telegram 21, from Nicaragua, dated July 28, 1954, the Embassy reported that President Somoza had set the three following conditions which the Costa Rican Government would have to satisfy before he would agree to a meeting between their respective foreign ministers for the purpose of reducing tension between the two countries: (1) an indication in writing that Rómulo Betancourt and others allegedly involved in the assassination plot had been deported from Costa Rica, (2) a full investigation of all officials suspected of involvement, and (3) the return of three persons taken the previous week on Nicaraguan soil (617.18/7–2854).