Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, 1929, Volume I

724.3415/696a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Bolivia (Hibbard)³⁹

Washington, September 12, 1929.

50. Following is translation of resolution passed unanimously by the Commission of Inquiry and Conciliation at today’s plenary session:

“Whereas Article 5 of the Protocol signed at Washington, January 3rd of this year, by the plenipotentiaries of Bolivia and of Paraguay provides that the Commission of Inquiry and Conciliation, Bolivia and Paraguay, which was created in conformity with the said Protocol, shall make proposals and endeavor to secure the friendly settlement of the incident arising from the events of December, last, in the Chaco Boreal, under conditions satisfactory to the two Parties;

Whereas it is necessary that the Parties should be placed in a position to negotiate an agreement on their controversy in an atmosphere of cordiality and good understanding;

Whereas the historical account of the facts reveals that the incidents at Vanguardia preceded the events which took place in the Boquerón sector;

Whereas the employment of coercive measures on the part of Paraguay in the Vanguardia incident caused the reaction of Bolivia;

Whereas the Governments of Bolivia and of Paraguay, at the unanimous suggestion of the neutral Commissioners, have agreed upon the following:

1. Mutual forgiveness of the offenses and injuries caused by each of the Republics to the other;

2. Reestablishment of the state of things in the Chaco on the same footing as prior to December 5, 1928, though this does not signify in any way prejudgment of the pending territorial or boundary question; and

3. Renewal of their diplomatic relations;

Whereas the Governments of Bolivia and of Paraguay have agreed to proceed to the reestablishment of things to the state which existed prior to December 5, through

(a) Restoration of the buildings of Fort Vanguardia by Paraguay; and

(b) the abandonment of Fort Boquerón by Bolivian troops without the presence of Paraguayan authorities, leaving it in the same state in which it was occupied by the said Bolivian troops;

Whereas in order to prevent disagreements which might make difficult the carrying out of the foregoing measures, the Governments have agreed to carry them out in the presence of an army officer of a neutral nation;

Therefore, The Commission of Inquiry and Conciliation, Bolivia and Paraguay, resolves:

1. To consider that conciliation of the Parties has been effected in the terms stipulated by the Protocol of January 3, 1929;

2. Likewise to acknowledge that the Parties being conciliated, the Commission, in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 of the said Protocol, has not established responsibilities;

3. To record its satisfaction at the lofty spirit of concord which has been shown by the Governments of Bolivia and of Paraguay in removing the difficulty which arose from the incidents of the month of December, 1928;

4. To recommend earnestly to the Governments of Bolivia and of Paraguay that they carry out the conciliatory measures above set forth without delay; and

5. To ask the Government of Uruguay to be so kind as to designate two officers of its army to proceed, with the consent of the Governments of Bolivia and of Paraguay, to Fort Vanguardia and Fort Boquerón, respectively, and to be present at the execution of the measures designed to restore the state of things which existed prior to December 5, 1928.”

Following remarks were made by the Chairman after unanimous approval of foregoing resolution:

“I believe that I am a faithful interpreter of the feelings of the members of this Commission and of all generous minded men throughout the Continent, in extending our cordial congratulations to the Governments of the Republics of Bolivia and Paraguay on the new evidence of well advised cooperation and devotion to peace they have just given the world. Their example constitutes a solemn demonstration that in the Americas conciliation has been added to the other methods for settling satisfactorily and without injury to the paramount interests of nations, those occasional controversies that sometimes divide them.”

Stimson

39. The same, mutatis mutandis, on the same date to the Minister in Paraguay as telegram No. 41.