714.1515/1082: Telegram
The Minister in Honduras (Lay) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 5—9:35 a.m.]
34. Your telegram No. 24, May 21, 6 p.m. The President has given me to understand that while he would not concede the town of Chachahualia he is willing that Honduran delegation submit to him a proposed line east of the Rio Chachahualia and after consultation with members of his Government and certain deputies he will advise the delegation. The President insists that the Honduran delegation has ample powers to do this without further instructions.
The President told me that to cede any of the territory east of the Chachahualia River south of the Motagua River would be the greatest sacrifice Honduras could make and would be very unpopular in Honduras. He intimated that an exchange for other territory southwest of Rio Chachahualia would be better than ceding any of this area. He does not recognize that Guatemala has any legitimate claim to the right bank of the lower Motagua River. [Paraphrase.] The Foreign Minister, in the presence of the President, proposed that the Department of State suggest a line to the delegates. The President and the Foreign Minister undoubtedly believe that a line suggested by the Department of State would stand a much better chance of acceptance here than a line demanded or claimed by Guatemala especially in the area where Hondurans feel they are sacrificing their sovereignty. [End paraphrase.]79
- Discussions to reach an agreement on a boundary line continued until June 12, when the chairman of the conference announced that on the following day the conference would pass to a discussion of a possible treaty of arbitration to put an end to the boundary question. See Informe del Doctor don Mariano Vasquez sobre la Conferencia de Limites, p. 12.↩