715.1715/423: Telegram
The Chargé in Nicaragua (Sumner) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:40 p.m.]
27. I had a long conversation this afternoon with the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the question of the boundary protocol with Honduras. This matter has been dormant for several days because President Moncada has been absent from Managua since January 25th and [Page 793] only returned today. A meeting of the Liberal members of Congress is to be held in the Presidential Palace tomorrow afternoon, at which time the President and the Minister for Foreign Affairs will explain the provisions of the protocol to the Liberals of Congress and attempt to unite the party in so far as may be possible in support of the protocol. The Minister for Foreign Affairs told me that the present intention is to submit the protocol to Congress on Thursday, February 5th.
The Minister stated that he was hopeful that the result of the conference would be to secure the support of the great bulk of Liberal members for the protocol. He added, however, that there were certain Liberals whom it would be difficult to placate.
I have also talked with ex-President Adolfo Diaz as to the attitude which the Conservative Party may be expected to take. He stated that in view of the fact that the text of the treaty has not been made public here and is not known, the attitude of the Conservative members has not been crystallized.
In view of the fact that the Liberals have a two-thirds majority in Congress, it would seem that the fate of the treaty depends primarily on the ability of President Moncada and the Minister for Foreign Affairs to line up the Liberals in support of the protocol. The Minister for Foreign Affairs reiterated that he and the President would do everything in their power to insure a favorable outcome.
I will keep the Department advised of developments.
Repeated to Tegucigalpa.