Office of the Historian

The Secretary of State to the Minister of Panama.1

Department of State,
Washington, December 4, 1909.

My Dear Mr. Minister: Referring to the boundary controversy between the Republics of Costa Rica and Panama, and to the recent correspondence on that subject, I beg to suggest, in pursuance of the earnest disposition of this Government to facilitate and expedite by its friendly offices the settlement of that question, that a conference should be held at this department on January 15 next, or soon thereafter between yourself and the minister of Panama and myself. At such conference it would be in order to consider and discuss the existing situation fully, to reach, if possible, the basis of a protocol agreement formulating the questions at issue, and to take the other steps necessary for the submission of the controversy to Chief Justice Fuller as sole arbitrator, in accordance with the proposal heretofore made and thereupon approved by the Governments of Costa Rica and Panama.

Permit me to express my confident hope that this important matter may thus be carried promptly to the definitive settlement which is so desirable.

I am, etc.,

P. C. Knox.
  1. Same: Mutatis mutandis to the Costa Rica minister.↩