740.0011 Pacific War/862: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina ( Armour ) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 10—2:14 a.m.]
1411. Reference to my telegram No. 1404, December 9, 2 p.m.10 The following is the text of the message sent at 7 o’clock this evening by Acting President Castillo, to President Roosevelt:
“I beg to inform Your Excellency that the Argentine Government, in view of the state of war which involves the United States and affects all of America as a whole, has today issued a decree whereby it is declared that the Republic does not consider the United States of America in the position of a belligerent country nor consequently subject in this country to the limitations appropriate to a regime of neutrality.
[Page 60]In making known to Your Excellency the official position thus assumed by this Government in keeping with the common interests and sentiments of America in the face of an unjustifiable and lamentable aggression, I take particular pleasure in presenting to Your Excellency the friendly wishes of the Argentine Government and people.”
The following is the text of the decree issued by the Acting President this evening, which is signed by Dr. Castillo and all of the Ministers.
“Having considered the communications received from the Embassy of The United States of America, from the Embassy of Great Britain and from the Embassy of Japan stating that there exists a state of war between the said powers, and
Whereas:
These communications make it necessary to determine the position of the Argentine Republic in this state of war, as well as the line of conduct to be observed in this case without precedent since this is the first time that the declarations and agreements with respect to solidarity, mutual assistance and defensive cooperation of the American nations as approved in the Conference of Buenos Aires and the meetings of Lima, Panama and Habana, will be applicable.
To this end it is especially fitting to invoke Declaration XV of the Meeting of Habana to which the Argentine Republic adhered with the other American countries, since this case relates to an extracontinental aggression against the sovereignty of one of the American States and the violation of its territory.
The Vice President of the Argentine Nation in exercise of the executive power in a general Ministerial solution [resolution] decrees:
- Article 1. The position of the Argentine Republic in the present international conflict will be governed with respect to the United States by the Pan American obligations assumed with regard to solidarity, mutual assistance and defensive cooperation.
- Article 2. As a consequence of this, the Argentine Republic does not consider the United States of America in the position of a belligerent country in this conflict.
- Article 3. The provisions of the decree regarding neutrality prescribed by Ministerial Resolution of September 4, 1939 are made applicable to the present state of war and only with respect to Great Britain and Japan.
- Article 4. The Argentine Republic in due course and following the procedure provided by the above mentioned convention XV of Habana will proceed to negotiate the necessary complementary agreements.
- Article 5. Let this be communicated, published in the official bulletin and given to the National Registry.
- Not printed.↩