723.2515/3500
Memorandum by the Secretary of State of a Conversation With the Peruvian Chargé (Bedoya)
The Peruvian Chargé read me a translation of a message in which Peru expressed the hope that I would not do anything to encourage Bolivia in her agitation for a port on the Pacific side. He said that Bolivia was planning a campaign of agitation, et cetera. I told him that I had no intention of doing any such thing, on the contrary, [Page 817] when Bolivia had protested against the action of Chile and Peru in making a compact between themselves not to transfer any part of Tacna Arica without the consent of the other I had told the representative of Peru that that settlement was entirely the action of the two countries, and that we had had no part in it except to extend our good offices in order to bring them together. I told him that I had counseled moderation in all such matters, and that I had had occasion to point it out to both Bolivia and Peru in regard to their negotiations for the settlement of their troubles in the Chaco and that he might rest assured that I would not do anything to excite or further any other course. I said to him that “the settlement of the question of the port rests entirely between you three countries in South America. I am sorry that there should be any cause for irritation to any one of you, but you may rest assured that I am not going to intrude myself into the affair”.