Office of the Historian

150. Telegram 38780 From the Department of State to the Embassies in Honduras and El Salvador1

Washington, March 2, 1973, 2112Z.

38780. Subject: Honduras/El Salvador Dispute. Ref: (A) Tegucigalpa 761; (B) San Salvador 783.

1.) Dept. agrees with Embassy San Salvador that there is little to be gained, either procedurally or substantively, from the USG now offering to serve as a channel of communications between Foreign Ministers Batres and Borgonovo. The issue stalling negotiations, the acceptability of arbitration, can only be resolved by the parties themselves. Moreover, channels of communication, both direct and through GOG FonMin Arenales, already exist.

2.) For Tegucigalpa. Ambassador Ryan believes, and we agree, that somewhat offhand tone employed by FonMin in discussing this subject was such that you need not respond directly at this time. If Batres should raise this again, however, please convey informally our view that USG involvement or participation in the negotiations with El Salvador, even in the role of a communicator, would not be appropriate or useful. Progress achieved to date appears to us to have resulted mainly from establishment of direct communications between two countries through the good offices of GOG. It appears to us that this channel is the one most likely to produce the kind of lasting settlement desired by both sides.

3.) For San Salvador. In view of above, we see no reason for you to discuss this with FonMin Borgonovo. Likewise, we believe any initiative concerning possible involvement of OAS in settlement process should come from the parties involved.

  1. Summary: The Department instructed the Embassies in Honduras and El Salvador to avoid becoming intermediaries in the border dispute between the two countries.

    Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–1973, POL EL SAL–HOND. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by El Salvador Country Officer Alexander Sleght on March 1; cleared by Hurwitch, Pezzullo, and Political Adviser T. Frank Crigler in USOAS. Repeated to Guatemala City, Managua, San José, and USCINCSO. In telegram 761 from Tegucigalpa, February 27, the Embassy reported that Foreign Minister César Batres had informally asked the U.S. Government to ascertain whether or not the Salvadoran Government intended to respond to peace initiatives put forward at a recent meeting in Guatemala. (Ibid.) In telegram 783 from San Salvador, February 28, the Embassy stated that it saw no benefit to becoming involved in the El Salvador-Honduras dispute as a channel of communication between the two governments. (Ibid.)

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