Office of the Historian

335. Memorandum From the Deputy Director of the Office of Middle American Affairs (Stewart) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Rubottom)1

Washington, September 23, 1957.

SUBJECT

  • Dominican Foreign Minister’s talk with Secretary Dulles

Mr. Norman Armour, USUN, informed me of details of the conversation which the Secretary had with Foreign Minister Herrera Báez in New York last week. Herrera Báez discussed two topics with the Secretary. They are as follows:

1. Exequatur for Consul General Llaverias2

The Foreign Minister explained to the Secretary that the Dominicans had requested an exequatur for Llaverias last June but it was not forthcoming as yet. The Secretary replied that it was the first time he had heard of this matter but that he would look into it upon his return to Washington.

I had given Mr. Armour some background on the dual accreditation question which has ARA and L holding opposite views.3 Mr. [Page 929] Armour inquired whether it would be possible to explain informally to Foreign Minister Herrera Báez that the delay in granting the exequatur had no connection with the personality of Llaverias or was related to any other issues which involved the United States and the Dominican Republic. I told him that we had no objection to this course of action.

In the event the Secretary should inquire of you why the question of accreditation for Llaverias has been so long delayed, it might create an opportunity to review the dual accreditation issue briefly with him.

2. Visit of ICFTU Committee to Dominican Republic

The Foreign Minister stated that a committee of ICFTU was scheduled to visit the Dominican Republic to investigate working conditions there. He said that Luis Alberto Monge, Secretary General of ORIT, Latin American affiliate of ICFTU, apparently was either attempting to dissuade the World Labor Federation from sending the committee or was attempting to influence the ICFTU in the type of report its committee would make following the visit. The Secretary informed Herrera Báez that Tom Meany, President of AFL–CIO, was a member of the United States Delegation to the Twelfth General Assembly and suggested that the Dominican official talk directly with Mr. Meany. Herrera Báez accepted the suggestion and Mr. Armour is arranging an appointment for Herrera Báez with Meany later this week.

(Mr. Stephansky4 said the ICFTU passed several resolutions at its last convention involving visits of investigation to various countries but he was not certain whether the Dominican Republic was included in the list. He will advise Serafino Romualdi, Latin American representative for AFL–CIO, of this development.)

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 739.00/9–2357. Confidential.↩
  2. The Dominican Government sought dual accreditation for Federico Llaverías as Consul General in New York City and as a permanent member of the Dominican Delegation to the United Nations.↩

  3. In a memorandum dated September 23 to Rubottom, Krieg discussed the views of his office and those of the Legal Adviser’s Office on the question of dual accreditation of foreign officials in New York. According to the memorandum, the Office of the Legal Adviser held that “the functions and status of consular officers are essentially incompatible with the functions and status of permanent representatives to the United Nations entitled to privileges and immunities under the Headquarters Agreement between the U.S. and the United Nations.” The Office of Inter-American Affairs did not agree with the position of the Legal Adviser’s Office for several reasons, including the following: “1. There would appear to be no inherent inconsistency in such dual service. The United States accredits a large percentage of its diplomatic officers in a dual capacity.

    “2. The designation of persons as members of delegations to international organizations is a matter which foreign governments regard as particularly within their own sphere, and they would resent interference by the United States which would prevent their using available personnel in the most effective way. Such resentment could lead to limitations on U.S. enjoyment of dual accreditation privileges” (Department of State, Rubottom Files: Lot 59 D 573, Dominican Republic)

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  4. Ben S. Stephansky of the Office of Inter-American Regional Political Affairs.↩