715.1715/693: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Honduras (Erwin)
33. Your telegram no. 76, October 9, noon. The Department has received the telegram from the Honduran Foreign Minister referred to in your telegram cited above and in reply thereto you are instructed to make the following oral representations to the Minister of Foreign Affairs:
“Upon instructions of my Government I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt by the Secretary of State of Your Excellency’s telegram of October 9 and to state that my Government has noted with gratification the devotion of the Honduran Government to the ideals of continental peace and pacific settlement of controversies between nations. It is hardly necessary to state that this Government fully shares Honduras’ views as to the desirability of the pacific settlement of disputes and the sanctity of arbitral decisions.
It is noted that Honduras will always be disposed to give the best reception to any suggestion that may be made to her for friendly mediation on matters of an international character provided that respect for and obedience to arbitral awards already made is included in this suggestion.
In this connection, my Government desires to express the view that in the friendly preliminary discussions which are contemplated, the question of the sanctity of arbitral awards does not arise.
[Page 85]As has previously been indicated to Your Excellency, my Government believes that the immediate and most urgent objective of the suggested utilization of good offices is the proposal of measures which may allay the present tension in the relations of Nicaragua and Honduras, and thereafter the examination of bases for a permanent settlement of the fundamental issue.
My Government believes that on consideration the Honduran Government will agree that, in advance of the preliminary discussions it would not be desirable for either of the parties to place any conditions on their acceptance of good offices nor seek to insist upon prior agreement upon the bases of settlement of the fundamental issue. The basic issue cannot be satisfactorily discussed until the present obstructive tension has been cleared away.
Acceptance of the good offices suggested and entry into the necessary preliminary discussions designed to remove the present friction can in no way be construed as impairing the position or rights of either party in later discussions directed towards a permanent settlement of the basic issue.
In view of the foregoing considerations the Government of the United States hopes that Your Excellency’s Government will find itself in a position to proceed at an early date to name the panel of American powers from which two will be selected to lend their good offices in association with the Government of the United States.”