723.2515/710: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile (Shea)

[Paraphrase]

13. Your January 26, 2 p.m. No such statement in regard to the policy of the United States relative to the Tacna–Arica problem as attributed by the press to the Secretary of State was issued by him. Furthermore, the report that Mathieu sent to his Government in regard to his conferences with the Department of State, to which you allude, appears to have been somewhat exaggerated. The Department informed the Ambassador that while this Government desired above all to have this long-standing controversy settled and to render any service to that end, it had not formulated any definite views as to the actual terms of the settlement, and remained completely impartial; also that unless the situation became acute, it would not impose its good offices in the controversy. It was further indicated to the Ambassador that this Government considered it highly desirable that if the situation so developed that the parties to the controversy would accept an arbitration of the dispute, the arbitration be submitted to American powers and not to governments outside this hemisphere.

Hereafter, you will please communicate to the Department for its approval any statements you may desire to issue to the press.

Colby