715.1715/1443: Telegram
The Minister in Nicaragua (Nicholson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9 p.m.]
72. Referring to the Department’s telegram No. 43, July 6, 7 p.m. In informal conversation yesterday Somoza stated that he had discussed [Page 165] the question with both Ubico32 and Martinez33 and obtained from each a guarantee that he would protect his own boundary with Honduras and that no revolutionary anti-Honduran troubles would originate in his own country.
Somoza said he knew that Carías was responsible for the lack of attention in the Honduran press to his visit and just prior to his arrival had repeatedly published the laudo34 to induce the Honduran citizen to recognize no other stand. During the visit Carías had apparently avoided offering an opportunity to discuss the boundary question but Somoza seized the occasion to discuss it fully with him at the Government banquet. Carías said at once that Honduras stood by the laudo. Somoza stated to him that the Nicaraguan postage stamp had answered Honduran but had not asserted territorial claim in the same manner that both Ubico and Martinez gave guarantees above to which he added Nicaragua.34a He promised the President of Honduras that Nicaragua would not make war on its neighbors. (He amended this later in the same conversation reiterating what he has frequently said to me by adding “unless Honduras provokes us”) The award of the Commission, Somoza said to Carías, would doubtless be such as to give neither country all it claimed. It might be necessary for Nicaragua to accept less than it claimed and for Honduras to do the same.
Somoza says that Carías merely replied that perhaps some acceptable settlement could be reached but did not commit himself nor repeat his earlier reference to laudo. Somoza feels that Carías fears for his ability to retain office and is inaccessible to informed advisers. His opinion of Carías appears not to have changed since my personal letter of August 19, 193835 to Mr. Duggan reporting a conversation with Somoza on the boundary question. To my direct question in yesterday’s conversation Somoza replied unequivocally that he supports the Mediation Commission and is prepared to accept its decision.
Somoza will inform the Under Secretary fully through his Minister of his interview with Carías.
He plans to visit Costa Rica at some time as yet undetermined and will discuss this question fully when there.
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