190. Despatch 1347 from Mexico City, April 27, transmitting April 26
memorandum of conversation between Foreign Minister Tello and Ambassador
Mann1
Mexico City, April 27, 1962
[Facsimile Page 1]
SUBJECT:
- Mexican Proposals re Chamizal and
Ojinaga Dispute
On April 26, 1962, Ambassador Mann was called to the Foreign Office regarding the
Chamizal and Ojinaga questions. These two areas are tracts in dispute on
the U.S.-Mexican frontier.
Attached as Enclosure No. 1 is a memorandum of conversation. The map and
memorandum referred to are being forwarded to the Department under
separate cover.
For the Ambassador:
Eugene V. McAuliffe
First Secretary of Embassy
Department: Please pouch IBWC/Mr. Friedkin, El Paso.
Enclosure
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION
Mexico City,
April 26,
1962
[Facsimile Page 2]
SUBJECTS
PARTICIPANTS
- Foreign Minister Manuel Tello
- Ambassador Thomas C.
Mann
- Mr. Frank V. Ortiz, Second Secretary of Embassy
During the course of Ambassador Mann’s call on the Foreign Minister on April 26, the
Minister referred to the suggestion which he had made previously in
proposing an agenda, that the visit of President Kennedy to Mexico be used as an
opportunity to resolve the long-standing Chamizal dispute (a
disputed tract on the U.S.-Mexican boundary at El Paso, Texas). The
Minister said that purely as a provisional, personal and
non-official suggestion he was giving the Ambassador a map and a
memorandum which he thought could serve as a
[Typeset Page 454]
basis for resolving this
problem. After studying the map, Ambassador Mann told the Minister that
although engineering requirements might dictate some modifications
of the Minister’s proposal he now believed that there was a basis
for exploration with the appropriate U.S. officials. The Ambassador
said that at the earliest opportunity he would discuss the Foreign
Minister’s proposal with the appropriate U.S. officials. Ambassador
Mann made it clear to
the Minister that in his view it was necessary for both governments
to decide precisely on the details of the settlement of the Chamizal
dispute before any public announcement could be made.
The Minister then turned to the Ojinaga problem which also relates to
a disputed area on the U.S.-Mexican border. The Minister hoped it
would be possible for the Presidents to agree to a settlement of
this question. He acknowledged that the Ojinaga dispute had been
sent to the International Boundary and Water Commission for
resolution twice previously and that the Commissioners were unable
to reach agreement. He, therefore, thought it might be possible for
the two Governments to give the IBWC guidance toward a solution. The
Minister asked the Ambassador for an unofficial and provisional map
showing a line in the Ojinaga area upon which the United States
would be willing to negotiate. The Ambassador told the Minister he
would attempt to do so but would have to rely on the experts for
this. The Minister agreed with the Ambassador that if the Ojinaga
dispute was settled, the Boundary Commissioners would be instructed
to determine an equitable settlement of other areas along the Rio
Grande that are in dispute.
