724.3415/4090: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina (Weddell) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:40 p.m.]
154. I communicated the contents of the Department’s telegram No. 106, September 7, 9 p.m., to the Minister for Foreign Affairs yesterday morning who expressed his strong conviction that the Bolivian suggestions modifying his formula offered a favorable basis for solution and added that he also believed Bolivia would be willing to accept the Permanent Court of International Jurists in an arbitration.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs stated further that the Department’s proposed amendment to article 7 insofar as it provides for a period of 60 [70?] days within which arbitral agreement might be signed is unacceptable as it affects an essential feature of his formula which contemplates a simultaneous signing of the agreement for arbitration and conciliation (the Brazilian Ambassador told me this is also the viewpoint of his Government). The concluding portion of the suggested amendment the Minister for Foreign Affairs said might be favorably studied.
Dr. Saavedra Lamas said further that he felt the subject was now one for decision by the Presidents of the belligerent countries and that he was considering sending his legal adviser to Asunción to lay the situation before the President since he feels that neither of the two Ministers here is advancing the cause of peace.
Yesterday afternoon I met the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Bolivian Minister and the Brazilian Ambassador at the latter’s residence when we discussed the Bolivian suggestion at length. An acceptance more in line with the original peace formula was urged upon the Bolivian Minister who said he would lay the matter before his Government.
[Page 196]We also discussed the situation vis-à-vis the League of Nations, the Minister for Foreign Affairs feeling that the most he should do would be to telegraph to Geneva the bare fact of Paraguay’s unconditional acceptance of his formula, and that Bolivia had accepted in principle, making no plea or recommendation. However, the Minister for Foreign Affairs is to withhold sending this message until the Bolivian Minister had communicated with his Government which he promised to do.
In the course of the conversation the Bolivian Minister said “My country does not refuse the Hague Tribunal; it leaves the matter open”. He stated further that his Government would welcome comments and counsel in the matter of the Bolivian suggestion for modifications to the conciliation formula.