711F.1914/339: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Panama (Wilson)
168. Your 211, August 2, 5 p.m. Kindly make known to the Minister of Foreign Affairs the following views: that the Department, [Page 464] although appreciative of the reasons prompting the desire of the Panamanian Government to issue a statement, is unable to agree that its memorandum be made public because such action would convey a partial and therefore erroneous impression of the current negotiations; that at the urgent request of the Foreign Minister during his visit to the United States the Department although working under great pressure took special pains to advance the negotiations which culminated in the presentation of the memorandum on the 12 points; that despite this Government’s interest, repeatedly manifested, in an early conclusion of the long drawn out negotiations over sites, the Panamanian Government has not advanced the matter since the discussions in Washington; and that if the reply of the Government of Panama to the questions of interest to us is satisfactory, then the two Governments could proceed to make a full statement covering all the principal aspects of the negotiations. Any other procedure whereby only one side of the negotiations is made public would inevitably lead to public misunderstanding.
In conveying the foregoing message, kindly make it clear that the Department fully understands the desire of the Panamanian Government to inform the people of Panama of the progress of the negotiations and is prepared to make known the details of the pending arrangements as soon as there is agreement on all important points. If, pending conclusion of the present discussions, the Government of Panama feels it necessary to make some statement it is suggested that it be general in scope indicating that satisfactory progress is being made to arrive at a solution on questions of interest to both countries and that it is hoped that the negotiations will be brought to a prompt conclusion.