722.2315/1088
The Minister in Ecuador (Gonzalez) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 2.]
Sir: I have the honor to inform the Department that in a conversation on August 25th with the Minister for Foreign Affairs he brought up the subject of the negotiations in Washington for the settlement of the Ecuadorean-Peruvian boundary dispute. He stated that he had authorized his Delegation in Washington, in response to the Peruvian proposal to submit the juridical question to The Hague, to propose [Page 55] the submission of the whole controversy to arbitration by the President of the United States. He said quite frankly that his purpose is to prevent the removal of the negotiations from Washington, and his faith in President Roosevelt to hand down an equitable award.
He added that he had further authorized the Ecuadorean Delegation to propose that, if Peru refused arbitration by President Roosevelt, an agreement be made on the line of the Garcia-Herrera Treaty, submitting to the arbitration of President Roosevelt the zone comprised between the Pastaza and Morona Rivers. He explained that this line had been agreed to by the Ecuadorean Delegate Herrera and the Peruvian Delegate García. Furthermore, the Ecuadorean Congress had ratified that line, and the Peruvian Congress had also ratified it with the exception of the zone between the two rivers mentioned. The Minister expressed the belief that this is the most reasonable offer that can possibly be made by his Government. He added, parenthetically, that he would probably be stoned by his own people for such a maximum concession.
The Foreign Minister then expressed the pessimism he feels that Peru will not agree to either proposal. At that moment he became especially agitated and remarked “it would seem that war is our only recourse”.
Respectfully yours,