724.3415/527
The Secretary General of the Commission of Inquiry and Conciliation (Schoenfeld) to the Assistant Secretary of State (White)
Memorandum
The Chairman desires me to inform you that the Commission of Inquiry and Conciliation, Bolivia and Paraguay, to-day adopted the following resolutions:
Resolution for the Repatriation of Bolivian and Paraguayan Nationals
“In view of the initiative of the neutral Commissioners, seconded by those from Bolivia and Paraguay with the consent of their respective Governments, authorizing the Commission to undertake the exchange of nationals from one country detained by the Government of the other, as a result of the happenings of December last,
The Commission resolves:
To take over the negotiations for the repatriation of the Bolivian nationals detained by the Government of Paraguay, and the Paraguayan nationals detained by the Government of Bolivia, as a result of the happenings of December last.”
Note: The Chairman thereafter appointed a Sub-Committee on repatriation, under the Chairmanship of the Commissioner for Uruguay, General Ruprecht, and with the Commissioner for Bolivia, Dr. Finot, and for Paraguay, Dr. Chaves, as members, and Captain Ridgway, of the Secretariat General, as Secretary. This Sub-Committee will determine the manner in which the repatriation shall be effected, reporting the result of its work to the Commission.
[Page 848]Resolution Concerning the Incident of May 4, 1929 in the Vicinity of “Fortin Vanguardia”
“Having received from the Government of Bolivia, through its Delegation, a protest concerning the incident which took place on the 4th instant, in the vicinity of “Fortin Vanguardia”, due to the presence thereon of a Paraguayan detachment, and in view of the explanations and of the protest submitted, in turn, by the Paraguayan Delegation regarding indications of the establishment of a new Bolivian military post, the Commission of Inquiry and Conciliation, Bolivia and Paraguay, is of the opinion that the Governments of Bolivia and Paraguay should assure themselves that completely effective measures have been taken to prevent any sort of friction between their respective forces, in any region for which purpose it would be desirable that they should issue categorical orders in the sense that no advances of any kind and for any purpose take place in that territory.
The Commission feels certain that the terms of the Protocol to which both Governments have pledged their faith, will be scrupulously complied with and that all necessary measures will be taken to preclude the possibility of subordinate commanders in the more inaccessible regions of the Chaco from jeopardizing the successful and pacific settlement of the matters now pending between the said Governments.
It is the sense of the Commission that any action the Commission may take under the terms of the Protocol can not be affected by the occupancy of any area by either country during the sessions of the Commission, but, on the other hand, that the Commission in determining its final action might properly take into consideration the circumstances surrounding any incidents occurring during the sessions of the Commission.
The Commission requests the delegations of Bolivia and Paraguay to communicate the text of this resolution to their respective Governments.”
Communication on Behalf of the Neutral Members Sent by the Secretary General to the Commissioners for Bolivia and Paraguay
“In view of the foregoing resolution (adopted to-day by the Commission of Inquiry and Conciliation, Bolivia and Paraguay, with reference to a recent encounter in the Chaco between the forces of Bolivia and Paraguay), the members from Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay, Cuba and the United States of the said Commission request the delegates from Bolivia (Paraguay) to inquire of their Government what measures have already been taken and what further measures will promptly be taken to prevent friction of any kind [Page 849] between forces of Bolivia and Paraguay in any region; and, with the consent of the Government of Bolivia (Paraguay), to transmit to the Commission the reply which may be made in response to this inquiry.”