Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Volume V, Microfiche Supplement, American Republics

EC–17. Memorandum of Conversation, by the First Secretary of the Embassy in Ecuador (Rogers)¹

US/MC/1²

Quito, August 31, 1960

PARTICIPANTS

• United States

  • Under Secretary Dillon
  • General Robert Cutler
  • Mr. John Leddy, Special Assistant to the Under Secretary
  • Edward S. Little, Charge d’Affaires a.i.
  • J. L. Hummel, Director of USOM/Ecuador
  • J. T. Rogers, First Secretary, Embassy Quito

• Ecuador

  • Minister-Designate (Foreign Affairs)
  • Jose Ricardo CHIRIBOGA Villagomez
  • Minister Designate (Development)
  • Jaime NEBOT Velasco

SUBJECT

• Ecuadorean-Peruvian Boundary Dispute

Minister-Designate Chiriboga opened the conversation by describing briefly the significance of the triumph of Dr. Velasco on June 5, 1960. He said that the popular demand for economic improvement had expressed itself in the form of votes for Velasco rather than in the form of an explosion. Velasco is well aware of and concerned about this popular demand and is working to develop programs of economic improvement which will satisfy popular aspirations.

Ecuador has problems, said Chiriboga, in the economic, social and international fields.

In the international field the problem is the Rio Protocol of 1942. This protocol, Chiriboga stated, was signed under strong pressure from the then Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles at a time when the Peruvian Army (which had invaded and destroyed Ecuador without reason) occupied a good part of the country. The Protocol met with strong opposition in Ecuador from the beginning. Nevertheless, the Ecuadorean Government attempted in good faith to carry it out but was prevented from doing this by the geographical facts, i.e., that no watershed existed, where called for by the treaty. Peru has since said in effect that the delimitation of the boundary should be completed by following “the spirit” of the Protocol which, in Ecuadorean eyes, is impossible. The Minister Designate pointed out that the “impossibility” of doing this has increased because of the gradual development of the spirit of justice throughout the hemisphere.”

Accordingly, President-elect Velasco a few days ago had declared with full public support that the Protocol is void. He said that Ecuador did not want to have any problem with Peru and hoped that the Guarantors would understand its position. He claimed that Peru is working hard to obtain a statement by the Guarantor Powers which Ecuador would strongly oppose and would interpret as an indication that the Guarantors do not fully understand and are not sympathetic with the position of Ecuador. The Guarantors should continue to seek ways of solving the problem in terms of justice and equality.

As an indication of its desire to improve relations with Peru, Ecuador is anxious to sign a bilateral trade agreement with its southern neighbor.

Chiriboga said Velasco was determined to hold the XI Inter-American Conference in Quito in March 1961 in order to solve problems appropriate to it. Ecuador’s position is not that the boundary problem should be solved at the Conference but it only wishes to point out that the problem exists. He said he was certain the U.S. would continue to follow its objective policy with regard to the boundary problem. He did not expect the United States to take sides as between Ecuador and Peru.

In response to a question from the Under Secretary, the Minister-Designate said that the problem was not a question of the amount of land involved but a matter of blood and history. The Amazon was discovered by Ecuador and is as important to Ecuador as is Quito. It is a natural boundary between Peru and Ecuador.

The Under Secretary asked about the present situation after Velasco’s declaration, including that the Guarantors’ responsibilities may have been modified. The Minister-Designate said that Ecuador was not trying to push the matter and that there was no hurry in solving it.

The Under Secretary thanked Chiriboga for his very useful statement. The United States desires a mutually acceptable settlement.

1. Source: Department of State, Conference Files, Lot 64 D 559, CF 1750. Confidential.
2. The designation US/MC/1 refers to the first of three memoranda of conversations of Under Secretary Dillon during his visit to Quito, August 31–September 3 to attend the ceremonies incident to the inauguration of President Velasco beginning August 31. Information on the source text indicates that this conversation took place in the U.S. Ambassador’s residence at 3 p.m.