Office of the Historian

122. Circular Telegram From the Department of State to All Posts in the American Republics1

Washington, December 3, 1961, 5:11 p.m.

1047. Depcirtels 10282 and 1041.3 Consultations here clearly show Argentine formula has failed to add support deemed essential and in particular has not proved acceptable Brazil, Chile and Mexico. Under [Page 269] these circumstances GUS returning full support Colombian proposal convoke MFM under Rio Treaty on which vote will be taken COAS meeting afternoon December 4.

Request you inform President or FonMin of foregoing if you deem it appropriate and useful, stressing importance we attach to favorable vote, particularly in light Castro’s recent public admission he confirmed Marxist-Leninist who deliberately deceived and used non-communists to gain his ends, as well as because of regime’s alignment Sino-Soviet bloc; also if necessary expressing our hope COAS Delegations will be given instructions support Colombian request convocation MFM under Rio Treaty.4

Rusk
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 371.05/12-361. Confidential; Niact. Drafted by Bowdler and Jamison; cleared by Crimmins and in draft by Woodward; approved by Jamison. Repeated to USUN, Ciudad Juarez, POLADCINCARIB, and POLAD SACLANT.↩
  2. Document 121.↩
  3. Circular telegram 1041, December 1, sent to 13 Embassies in Latin America, instructed them to make it clear that unless the Argentine formula could obtain a “substantial majority” in the OAS Council on December 4, the United States would support the Colombian proposal. (Department of State, Central Files, 371.05/12-161)↩
  4. On December 4 the OAS Council approved a resolution convoking a meeting of consultation of Foreign Ministers under Articles 6 and 11 of the Rio Treaty. The vote was 14-2 with 5 abstentions. The text of the resolution is in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1961, pp. 323-324.↩