[Enclosure]
Draft Procès-Verbal of a Meeting To Take
Place between the Secretary of State and the Ministers of
Colombia and Panama
Doctor Enrique Olaya and Doctor Ricardo J. Alfaro, Envoys
Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary of the Republics of
Colombia [Page 329] and Panama,
respectively, having on the invitation of the Secretary of State
of the United States, met with him in his office at the
Department of State, Washington, at . . . . o’clock on April . .
. . 1923:
Mr. Hughes stated that he had invited Messrs. Olaya and Alfaro to
his office to confer with them regarding the institution of
diplomatic relations between the two Republics which is so
cordially desired by the Government of the United States.
The Secretary of State added that it would be most gratifying
indeed for the two neighboring Republics of Colombia and Panama
to enter into regular diplomatic relations, and he, therefore,
asked the Minister of Colombia whether, by reason of the
recognition of Panama by Colombia as an independent nation, he
did not think the moment opportune for establishing such
relations and inquired whether it would please the Government of
Colombia to receive the representative that the Government of
Panama would accredit for that purpose and to negotiate and
conclude with the Government of Colombia a Treaty of Peace and
Friendship and to adjust all questions of pecuniary liability as
between the two countries, in accordance with recognized
principles of law and precedents. He further inquired whether
Colombia would also be prepared to accredit a Minister to
Panama.
Doctor Olaya replied that he was authorized by his Government to
state officially to the Panaman Minister that the Republic of
Colombia recognizes Panama as an independent nation on the
following understanding: That the boundary between the two
states shall be the following: From Cape Tiburón to the
headwaters of the Rio de la Miel and following the mountain
chain by the ridge of Gandi to the Sierra de Chugargun and that
of Mali going down by the ridges of Nigue to the heights of
Aspave and from thence to a point on the Pacific half way
between Cocalito and La Ardita. He added that his Government
would be pleased to receive the duly accredited agent whom the
Republic of Panama would despatch to negotiate and conclude with
the Government of Colombia a Treaty of Peace and Friendship and
to adjust all questions of pecuniary liability as between the
two countries, in accordance with recognized principles of law
and precedents. He stated that the Government of Colombia would
also be pleased to accredit a Minister to the Republic of
Panama.
Thereupon, the Secretary of State, addressing the Panaman
Minister, expressed the hope that the Panaman Government was
ready to enter into diplomatic relations with the Government of
Colombia and inquired whether his Government would be inclined,
with a view to instituting official relations between the two
Republics, to [Page 330] accredit
a diplomatic agent to the Republic of Colombia, for the purposes
and on the basis mentioned, and to receive the Minister whom the
Republic of Colombia might accredit.
Doctor Alfaro replied that he was authorized by his Government to
express its gratification at the recognition of Panama by
Colombia as an independent nation and to agree that the boundary
between the two states shall be the following: From Cape Tiburón
to the headwaters of the Rio de la Miel and following the
mountain chain by the ridge of Gandi to the Sierra de Chugargun
and that of Mali going down by the ridges of Nigue to the
heights of Aspave and from thence to a point on the Pacific half
way between Cocalito and La Ardita. He added that his Government
would despatch a duly accredited agent to negotiate and conclude
with the Government of Colombia a Treaty of Peace and Friendship
and to adjust all questions of pecuniary liability as between
the two countries, in accordance with recognized principles of
law and precedents. He stated that his Government would be
pleased to receive the Minister accredited by the Government of
Colombia.
The Secretary of State then stated that he desired to avail
himself of that opportunity to offer to serve as a medium for
the request of the agrément of the
Ministers who should be accredited by the Republics of Colombia
and Panama, respectively, if Messrs. Olaya and Alfaro had
instructions on the subject.
The Panaman Minister stated that he was authorized by his
Government to inquire, in case the Minister of Colombia should
have been instructed to answer, whether Mr. (name of person who
had been previously and privately agreed upon to be inserted
here) would be persona grata to the
Colombian Government.
The Colombian Minister replied that he was authorized by his
Government to accept as persona grata
anyone whose name should have been suggested by the Government
of Panama, and he added that he was authorized by his
Government, in reciprocation, to inquire whether Mr. (name of
person who had been previously and privately agreed upon to be
inserted here) would be persona grata to
the Government of Panama.
The Panaman Minister replied that he was authorized by his
Government to accept as persona grata
anyone whose name should have been suggested by the Government
of Colombia.
The Secretary of State then expressed his appreciation of the
goodwill and friendly attitude thus shown by the Governments of
Colombia and Panama towards each other, and his gratification
that the sister Republics were to establish regular diplomatic
relations and undertake formally to adjust their relations in
accordance with recognized principles of law and precedents. It
was, he said, his understanding that both Governments earnestly
desired the establishment [Page 331] of regular diplomatic relations as soon as
possible and to that end it might be agreeable to both
Governments to set a date for the appointment of Mr. . . . . . .
. as Panaman Minister to Colombia and Mr. . . . . . . as
Colombian Minister to Panama. If so, he would suggest April . .
. ., 1923, as a suitable date, it being mutually agreed that
both representatives shall thereupon proceed forthwith to their
respective posts.
The Colombian and Panaman Ministers both replied that they were
authorized by their respective Governments to state that Messrs
. . . . . . . . and . . . . . . would be appointed respectively
as Panaman Minister to Colombia and Colombian Minister to Panama
on April …, 1923, and that they would thereupon proceed
forthwith to their posts.
This procès verbal of the meeting, drawn up in triplicate in
English and Spanish, was signed by the Secretary of State and
the Ministers of Colombia and Panama, one copy being retained by
the Secretary of State and one copy being handed to the
Ministers of Colombia and Panama respectively.
