Office of the Historian

EC–20. Circular Telegram from the Acting Secretary of State to the Diplomatic Missions in the American Republics1

Washington, September 27, 1960, 2:22 p.m.

456. Informal meeting representatives for guarantor powers took place in New York 9:30 am September 26. Secretary stressed informal character of meeting. Following expression of views by Lafer of Brazil, Taboada of Argentina and Muller of Chile2 agreement reached that both Peruvian and Ecuadorean delegates at UN meeting would be informed of following by four governments acting separately:

1.
Meeting was informal in character. No announcement or statement will be issued.
2.
No formal meeting of the guarantor powers will be held until after the Quito Conference. However, if there should be a unilateral denunciation of the treaty before then, it would be necessary for the guarantors to meet to consider the situation.
3.
Guarantor powers could not be expected to agree to any unilateral denunciation of treaty.

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Principal point made by Lafer was that it would be absurd for guarantors to accept Ecuadorean doctrine of nullity since major part of treaty provisions have already been implemented. He suggested possibility [Facsimile Page 2] of mediation re part of boundary not yet agreed upon.

Taboada observed Ecuador had not yet formally denounced treaty and reported Frondizi,3 had informed Velasco Ibarra Argentine disposed to view problem calmly on assumption Ecuador would maintain same attitude of calm. Fonmin expressed opinion treaty could not be nullified by unilateral act of Ecuador and expressed opinion formal joint demarche by guarantors unwise.

Muller agreed with Taboada four power demarche unwise and expressed preference for bilateral discussions in Quito designed to encourage Ecuadorean government refrain from additional statements and actions. He said Chile would consider unilateral denunciation unacceptable.

Dillon
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 622.233/9–2760. Confidential. This telegram was drafted and signed by Thomas C. Mann, Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs. It was also sent to the U.S. Consulate at Ciudad Trujillo.↩
  2. Reference is to Foreign Ministers Horácio Láfer of Brazil and Diógenes Taboada of Argentina, and Walter Müller, Chilean Representative on the Council of the Organization of American States.↩
  3. Arturo Frondizi, President of Argentina.↩