Office of the Historian

HO–19. Telegram from the Secretary of State to the Embassy in Honduras1

Washington, November 21, 1960, 7:57 p.m.

237. Managua 161.2 Tegucigalpa 392.3 Dept impressed with constructive statesmanlike response by President Somoza to ICJ decision. Dept believes Somoza-Villeda border meeting of type outlined Tegucigalpa’s 392 might be highly desirable from standpoint reducing tensions and possibly lead to solution other outstanding problems through improved personal relations between Chiefs of State.

In your discretion, you may wish encourage Presidents Somoza and Villeda along these lines.4

Herter
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 615.173/11–1860. Secret. Drafted by Chaplin and initialled by Charles E. Higdon, Deputy Director of the office of Central American and Panamanian Affairs. The telegram was also transmitted to Managua.↩
  2. In telegram 161 from Managua, November 18, Ambassador Whelan informed the Department of State of Nicaragia’s willingness to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice. (615.173/11–1860)↩
  3. In telegram 392 from Tegucigalpa, November 20, Ambassador Burrows reported that President Villeda hoped to meet soon with President Somoza of Nicaragua to work out procedures to govern the transfer of authority in the disputed territory. (615.173/11–2060)↩
  4. Presidents Villeda and Somoza met on January 10, 1961, at the town of El Espino to celebrate the peaceful settlement of the long-standing border dispute. For further information, see the article entitled “Honduras Pushes Boundary Rights” in The New York Times, January 15, 1961, p. 5.↩