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

714.001/6–2554

Notes of a Meeting of the Guatemalan Group, Held at the Department of State, June 25, 1954¹

secret

June 25, 1954

• Present: Holland, Burrows, Pearson, Wieland, … Warren, Sparks, Jamison, Herron, Sanders, Atwood, Col. Clark, Woodward, Pawley

1. Calling the OAS Meeting

Holland reported that the Secretary had not yet approved his recommendation that the OAS meeting be called. The Secretary believed that on the assumption that Armas failed, Arbenz and Toriello would become heroes and we may not succeed in obtaining our resolution. Such a major diplomatic defeat would be a great blow to the US prestige. In analyzing the alternatives with the group, Holland believed that if we called off the meeting the results would be catastrophic; if we postponed the meeting, each day of postponement would make our position worse. In view of these alternatives he was planning to see the Secretary again to recommend that though there was a great risk in the calling of the meeting, we should do it.

During the meeting Holland and Pawley left to talk with General Smith and later reported that General Smith favored the calling of the meeting.

2. Place of Meeting

Holland reported that Kemper called² him this morning from Rio to say that Rao agreed to having the meeting at Rio.³ Later in the meeting while Holland was absent the question arose as to whether we would be able to inform any of the participating countries of this change, especially Venezuela and Argentina, but it was decided to check with Holland.

3. Security Council Action

Holland reported that the British have agreed to abstain with respect to the Guatemalan request for a meeting; thus it is apparent that there will be no action on the Guatemalan request.⁴ The group believed that in the absence of Security Council action the Guatemalans might accept the Peace Committee offer.⁵

4. Preparations for OAS Meeting on the Assumption that it will be called

Holland left the meeting and asked that the group go over the preparations for the meeting. Dreier outlined the following steps:

(a) He was planning to check with all of the members of the COAS to be sure they have their instructions so that there need be only one meeting of the Council. Depending on when we receive the go ahead decision, the Council meeting time would be set, possibly as early as Saturday afternoon.

(b) He reported that the following countries had agreed to cosponsor the request for the Council meeting—Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and the United States. These eleven would also constitute the majority needed to call the meeting of Foreign Ministers.

(c) The resolution for action of the Council⁶ was in draft form. It would be very brief and the group agreed that it should include a clause to the effect that though Guatemala had not deposited the ratification of the Rio Treaty, she should be invited to the meeting.

(d) Dreier did not believe the meeting would be very long and would not involve many speeches. He was working on his own speech.

(e) A complete draft⁷ of the Secretary’s speech for the OAS meeting will be ready on Tuesday, June 29 according to McJennett.

(f) Jamison, Herron and Wieland were to develop a press release⁸ for issuance by the Secretary at the time the OAS Council calls the meeting of Foreign Ministers.

(g) A Spanish text⁹ of the draft resolution has been prepared. Woodward suggested that this draft be distributed to the Latin Americans so that there would not be so many texts floating around.

5. Publicity

There was considerable discussion of the developments in connection with a television program this Sunday, “The American Forum of the Air” by Granik. It was decided that Herron should call Granik’s office and suggest that four newsmen appear on the program to query Chocano on the Guatemalan situation.

1. Drafted by Mr. Pearson.
2. A memorandum of the referenced telephone conversation, dated June 25, 1954, is not printed (714.00/6–2554).
3. In the Department’s telegram 182, to Montevideo, dated June 25, 1954, Secretary Dulles stated that because of the Uruguayan Government’s reluctance to have the OAS meeting in Montevideo “Department has agreed with Brazilian Government to request that [proposed OAS] meeting be held in Rio. Because growing concern regarding Communist plots [and] demonstrations in Montevideo Department feels most governments will be pleased at change.” (363/6–2554)
4. On June 25, 1954, the Security Council rejected adoption of the provisional agenda containing Guatemala’s complaint by a vote of 5 in favor, 4 against, and 2 abstentions; 7 affirmative votes were required for adoption. For additional documentation, see Official Records of the Security Council, 9th year, 676th Meeting (June 25, 1954).
5. In Guatemala Embassy note no. 867, dated June 26, 1954, not printed, Guatemalan Chargé Chocano informed the IAPC of Guatemala’s desire to cooperate and to accept a visit by the IAPC’s subcommittee of information; a translation of the note is attached to 363.1/6–2954.
6. For text of the referenced resolution, as adopted by the OAS at a special meeting on June 28, 1954, see Annals of the Organization of American States, 1954, pp. 159–160.
7. Not printed.
8. Apparent reference to the Department’s press release 351, dated June 26, 1954, printed in the Department of State Bulletin, July 5, 1954, pp. 31–32.
9. Not printed.