362. Telegram 1136 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State1 2
For Assistant Secretary Meyer from Ambassador
Subject:
- British Honduras Situation.
1. I wish to bring to your attention important and urgent message [text not declassified] concerning high-level meeting in presidential palace last night at which strategy was reportedly agreed upon for trying to pressure British to withdraw reinforcements from Belize.
2. If GOG were to put into effect reported course of action, it could set off chain of events which at best would put us in middle of hemisphere-UK confrontation in OAS and at worst could lead to some ill-considered military action by GOG. At present moment President Arana has not called me in as reported [text not declassified] should he do so I plan to urge him to refrain from airing British troop level question publicly and particularly to refrain from any military action. I have alerted key country team members to possibility of new situation [text not declassified] and we are on lookout for all developments.
3. Fonmin Herrera accompanied by Jorge Skinner Klee left for Washington this morning. He scheduled to arrive on Eastern flight no. 109 at 4:35 PM Washington time. I recommend that you seek early opportunity to talk with him and try to prevent [Page 2] precipitate GOG action from that end as we will be trying to do from here.
4. Would appreciate knowing what actions Department takes in response [text not declassified] and any additional guidance for action here.
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 785, Country Files, Latin America, Guatemala, Vol. I. Secret; Exdis; Immediate. A stamped notation on the telegram indicates that it was received at the White House Situation Room at 4:30 p.m. on March 9. In telegram 1200 from Guatemala City, March 13, Bowdler reported that he told Herrera, that the “U.S.G. has projected itself into this dispute as far as it has because we value friendship with both countries and wish to see them settle differences in amicable way.” Bowdler also hoped that Guatemala would resume discussions with Britain on the Belize issue and refrain from taking the case to the OAS. (Ibid.)↩
- Ambassador Bowdler reported that the Government of Guatemala was planning to pressure the British to withdraw reinforcements from Belize and warned that the dispute might draw the U.S. into the middle of a “Hemisphere-UK confrontation in OAS.”↩