810.20 Defense/1280a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Paraguay ( Frost )

75. You will please request an interview with the President of Paraguay in order to discuss with him the willingness of this Government to make available military and naval matériel under the provisions of the Lend Lease act and to send a military mission to Paraguay to give instruction in the use of this equipment. Please inform the President that these offers of this Government were made because of this Government’s very friendly relations with Paraguay whose government and army have consistently supported the policy first enunciated by the late General Estigarribia8 to cooperate with the United States in case of necessity for the defense of the Western Hemisphere, but never for purposes of aggression. It is perfectly [Page 478] obvious that economic considerations have had no part in the determination of the policy of this Government.

As long as Paraguay maintains these views the Government of the United States will be disposed to give consideration to such modifications and suggestions affecting the draft of the basic agreement handed to Minister Soler as the Paraguayan Government may deem advisable to propose.

Hull
  1. President of Paraguay, 1939–40.