611.1231/494: Airgram
The Ambassador in Mexico ( Messersmith ) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 8—5 p.m.]
A–895. I have to refer to the Department’s telegram 1525 of November 16, 11 a.m. [p.m.], referring to instruction 1807 of October 12 to this Embassy, transmitting information with respect to the trade agreement proposals handed to the Mexican Embassy in Washington on October 8 and to my airgram A–774, 11 a.m. of November 20.
I discussed again with the Foreign Office today the desirability of concluding the trade agreement as soon as possible and found that the Mexican Government is not only anxious of expediting the signature of the trade agreement, as stated in my airgram A–774, 11 a.m. [Page 524] of November 20, but the Economic Council of Ministers was in session discussing the trade treaty while I was at the Foreign Office this morning. The Economic Council of Ministers held its first meeting for discussion of the trade treaty on Wednesday, December 2, and it was indicated to me today that the meeting of the Economic Council of Ministers now in progress would probably bring the matter to a conclusion. Mr. Tello said that he would talk to Foreign Minister Padilla as soon as possible after the termination of the meeting and pass on to me any available information about the matter. The Department will be promptly advised.
Since writing the above, Mr. Tello of the Foreign Office telephoned me, at 2:30 p.m. today, to tell me that he had discussed the question of the trade treaty with Foreign Minister Padilla since the adjournment of the meeting of the Economic Council of Ministers, which was held this morning. He said that Minister Padilla had asked him to confirm to me what he had said to me this morning, to the effect that it was the purpose of the Ministers in their meeting of today to favorably approve the trade treaty. He further stated that Lie. Padilla asked that I be advised to the effect that at the adjournment of the Economic Council of Ministers today (4th) the approval of the trade treaty was left in a very advanced state and that there remained only a few details which the Committee decided should be discussed with the Department in Washington. He did not indicate to me just what the details were, but stated that they should be very easy to adjust and that it was anticipated that they would in no wise hinder the final approval of the trade treaty. Accordingly, the Economic Council of Ministers decided to send to Washington Ingeniero Carlos Arroyo, Chief of the Tariff Division of the Treasury, who was scheduled to leave today by airplane for Washington. Mr. Tello did not know whether he was able to make today’s plane, but said that if he did not, he would leave tomorrow. Mr. Tello said that the discussion of details in question would be taken up with the Department through the Mexican Embassy on Monday or Tuesday of next week.