723.2515/3296: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Culbertson) to the Secretary of State
Santiago, March 15, 1929—3
p.m.
[Received 9:30 p.m.]
39. The Minister for Foreign Affairs this morning after he had considered
the information in your 27, March 14, 1 p.m., prepared in writing a
memorandum on “reasons for not building San José port”.
It reads as follows:
- “1. Chile cannot accept grant of sovereignty to Peru in
the vicinity of the Morro and within the Department of
Arica, except north of the Lluta River from the point called
Escritos and which is the same one as that of which Mr.
Kellogg took notice on December 15th through Ambassador
Davila as appears in official despatches.
- 2. The Government cannot accept this port because its
acceptance is contrary to national sentiment and because it
has been represented to the public that the territory would
be divided into two equitable parts; while according to the
Peruvian claim Peru would remain more or less 1,000 meters
from the Morro with a port.
- 3. This would be neither a political nor commercial
solution for Chile. It would not be political because Arica
would remain with the knife in the side of Chile; and it is
not commercial because a foreign port 1,000 meters from ours
limits the development of the latter. Furthermore it should
not be forgotten that we are being asked to build it
ourselves.
- 4. The Government cannot accept even to discuss any port
which Peru may wish to situate within the section of coast
between the Lluta River and the San José River,—an idea
which unfortunately is of
[Page 745]
neither Peruvian nor of Chilean
origin—was unanimously rejected in the Council of Ministers
on Saturday the 9th, with the vote of the President of the
Republic and of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.”
Copy to Peru.
