724.3415/1958b: Telegram
The Representatives of Nineteen American Republics 26 Assembled in Washington to the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Bolivia and Paraguay
The representatives of all the American Republics, assembled in Washington, where the Commission of Neutrals has its seat, having been duly authorized by their respective Governments, have the honor to make the following declaration to the Governments of Paraguay and Bolivia:
“Respect for law is a tradition among the American nations who are opposed to force and renounce it both for the solution of their controversies and as an instrument of national policy in their reciprocal relations. They have long been the proponents of the doctrine that the arrangement of all disputes and conflicts of whatever nature or origin that may arise between them can only be sought by peaceful means. The history of the American nations shows that all their boundary and territorial controversies have been arranged by such means. Therefore, the nations of America declare that the Chaco dispute is susceptible of a peaceful solution and they earnestly request Bolivia and Paraguay to submit immediately the solution of this controversy to an arrangement by arbitration or by such other peaceful means as may be acceptable to both.
“As regards the responsibilities which may arise from the various encounters which have occurred from June 15 to date, they consider that the countries in conflict should present to the Neutral Commission all the documentation which they may consider pertinent and which will be examined by it. They do not doubt that the country which this investigation shows to be the aggressor will desire to give satisfaction to the one attacked, thus eliminating all misunderstanding between them.
“They furthermore invite the Governments of Bolivia and Paraguay to make a solemn declaration to the effect that they will stop the movement of troops in the disputed territory which should clear up the atmosphere and make easy the road to the solution of good understanding which America hopes for in the name of the permanent interests of all the countries of this hemisphere.
“The American nations further declare that they will not recognize any territorial arrangement of this controversy which has not [Page 160] been obtained by peaceful means nor the validity of territorial acquisitions which may be obtained through occupation or conquest by force of arms.”
For the Secretary of State of the United States
Minister of Colombia
Chargé Affaires of Uruguay
Chargé d’Affaires of Cuba
Chargé d’Affaires of Mexico
Ambassador of Peru
Ambassador of Brazil
Ambassador of Argentina
Ambassador of Chile
Minister of Guatemala
Minister of Venezuela
Minister of Haiti
Minister of the Dominican Republic
Minister of Honduras
Minister of Ecuador
Minister of Panama
Chargé d’Affaires of Nicaragua
Chargé d’Affaires of Costa Rica
Special Representative of the Republic of El Salvador in the Board of Directors of the Pan American Union
- All the American Republics except Bolivia and Paraguay.↩