724.3415/825
The Chargé in Uruguay (Gade) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 7.]
Sir: With reference to the Department’s instruction No. 195, of September 24, 1929, and its telegram No. 19, of October 9th, and in confirmation of my telegram No. 47 of October 10, 1929,40 regarding the Chaco Boreal dispute. I have the honor to report that in a conversation on the tenth instant the Minister for Foreign Affairs informed me that about a month ago he had sent an identic note to Bolivia and Paraguay designating two majors, assisted by two lieutenants, to carry out the terms of the Protocol signed at Washington by Bolivia and Paraguay on September 12th. Both Governments [Page 862] accepted the designations, but Paraguay suggested that the officers be sent forthwith to Asunción. This, the Uruguayan Minister for Foreign Affairs felt, could not well be done for two reasons: First, if the Uruguayan officers were entertained in Asunción, the Bolivian Government might subsequently accuse them of displaying partiality. Second, it would be manifestly impossible for them to proceed to carry out the terms of the Washington Protocol without definite and very detailed instructions regarding the means of reaching the forts in question, the manner in which Fort Vanguardia should be restored, the procedure of transferring the forts, etc. Since the Uruguayan Government has been requested merely to assist in the execution of the measures stipulated in the Protocol of September 12th “with the consent of the Governments of Bolivia and of Paraguay,” the Minister for Foreign Affairs believed that appropriate instructions for the Uruguayan officers should be drafted by the two contending Governments. About ten days ago he therefore proposed, in a second identic note to Bolivia and Paraguay, that their respective ministers at Montevideo be instructed to reach an agreement on this question. The Bolivian Government accepted this proposal on the 9th instant. The Paraguayan Government has not yet answered the note, but an affirmative reply is expected shortly.
I have [etc.]
- None printed.↩