Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, The American Republics, Volume VII

710 Conference W and PW/12—2644

The American Ambassador in Mexico (Messersmith) to the Mexican Minister for Foreign Affairs (Padilla)⁴

Mexico City, December 26, 1944

[Extracts]

No. 3417 Memorandum

I

The Department of State of the United States of America has completed a reconsideration of the proposals for a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the American Republics which are participating in the war effort, in the light of the opinions expressed by the other American Republics since the beginning of the present consultations.

The basic view of the Government of the United States of America is that there is need for a meeting of American Governments which are participating in the war effort to discuss urgent war and postwar problems which have arisen since the Conference at Rio de Janeiro. It is of the opinion that it is most important and urgent that we discuss together the war and problems arising from the war; consider further steps to support the prosecution of the war and hasten its conclusion in final victory; consider other problems arising out of the war. With regard to such other problems, the Government of the United States of America believes that such a Conference should be a forum for full discussion among the participating American Republics of the proposed world security organization and the further development of the inter-American system, in order that it may provide regional arrangements and agencies to deal effectively with such matters as are appropriate for regional action by the American Republics. Discussion of any such matters, it believes, however, should be of a preliminary nature since it is believed that actual changes in the structure of the inter-American system would have to be referred to the decision of an International Conference of American States after the world security organization is more fully developed.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

II

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

In deference to and in the light of all the opinions expressed to date, the Government of the United States of America therefore recommends that no decision on the Argentine request for a meeting to consider its international position be taken through the Governing Board of the Pan American Union. Instead, it is proposed that in their replies to the Governing Board the several Governments state (a) that it is evident from the consultations in which they have been engaged that, whether it be approved or denied, the Argentine request for a Consultative Meeting of Ministers to consider its international position, calls for a political decision which is beyond the competence of the Governing Board of the Pan American Union; (b) that it is necessary and desirable that the request of the Farrell Government be given joint, personal consideration by the Foreign Ministers themselves and that it not be answered by the Governing Board of the Pan American Union; (c) that it is proposed that since the Republics which are collaborating in the war effort are to meet in the immediate future at a conference on war and postwar problems (arrangements for which are being made by consultations through normal diplomatic channels), the request of the Farrell Government be included as the final item on the agenda of that conference.

To summarize:

(1) It is recommended that the proposal for a Conference of Republics which are collaborating in the war against the Axis be treated separately and distinct from the Argentine request for a hearing.

(2) It is further recommended that the agreement already reached on the desirability of such a conference by practically all of the interested Republics, be supplemented by an agreement on the agenda, time, and place for a conference, and that this supplementary agreement be reached by consultation through ordinary diplomatic channels. In this matter, a conference can be called without participation by the Farrell Government and without any necessity for deciding whether a Government may be excluded from a Consultative Meeting of Ministers under Pan American Union procedure.

(3) With respect to the Argentine request for a hearing of its case, the Government of the United States of America believes that the most effective manner in which a final decision can be reached is to consider this request as the final item on the agenda of the proposed conference of Republics which are collaborating in the war effort. This disposition of the Argentine request is preferred to other possible courses because an adequate and effective decision by the interested Governments requires the exercise of political judgment by the highest officers of each Government. The Ministers of the Republics which would be represented at the proposed Conference would be competent to exercise this political judgment whereas the Governing Board of the Pan American Union is expressly denied all political functions.

(4) If the Conference of Republics collaborating in the war effort were to decide to grant a hearing to the Farrell Government, a representative of that Government could be invited to appear at the close of the Conference, or arrangements could be made for a later meeting at which a representative of the Farrell Government might appear. It is important to emphasize in connection with this fourth point that the Government of the United States of America continues to entertain grave doubts as to whether any useful purpose would be served by approving the request of the Farrell Government.

III

The Government of the United States of America believes that the proposed procedure gives practical expression to the desire which has characterized the discussions to date for close collaboration and complete agreement on the disposition of the Argentine request. Moreover, the procedure respects the traditions under which resort has been made by the American Republics to special procedures and instrumentalities for the consideration and solution of problems of a political character so as to avoid placing undue strain on the permanent structure of the Pan American Union, which symbolizes the basic spiritual and moral unity of the peoples of the Americas.

Mexico City, December 26, 1944.

4. Copy transmitted to the Department in despatch 22, 144, December 26, 1944, from Mexico City; received January 3, 1945.