The Ecuadorian Minister to the Secretary of State, the Brazilian Chargé, and the Argentine Chargé.
Washington, August 27, 1910.
Honorable Sirs: The draft protocol proposed by the mediating powers in the dispute between the Republics of Ecuador and Peru has been exhaustively considered by my Government, and I believe it pertinent to indicate to the honorable representatives of the friendly Governments what the attitude of the Ecuador foreign office is toward so important a document.
As stated in the official note of May 24 last, addressed by the foreign office of Ecuador to the esteemed representatives of the mediating powers in Quito, my Government desires that the generous offices of the illustrious Governments of the United States, Brazil, and Argentina in the Peru-Ecuador dispute be directed solely to the end of procuring direct negotiation in the boundary controversy, which negotiation it would be desirable to enter into as soon as possible without awaiting further developments of any sort. Any delay would be inexpedient for Ecuador, as it would prolong its present bad status, and my Government further deems it inadvisable, since it does not desire that the benevolent mediation of the friendly powers should be dependent upon any future happening nor be involved in any act other than a direct and conciliatory settlement of the frontier dispute with Peru. The arbitral procedure pending before His Majesty, the King of Spain, has been suspended, and it has been suspended for the very reason of the desirability that the parties should try direct negotiation in conformity with the right reserved therefor in the arbitral convention of 1887; the direct settlement could therefore be procured without any obstacle whatever connected with the award of the Spanish sovereign and with advantage to the nations in conflict without awaiting an event which seems excluded by the very character and antecedents of the conciliatory proceedings now under way.
Ecuador, therefore, would regard as a step most adapted to the desired result and as most friendly on the part of the mediating Governments any effective effort toward procuring such direct settlement, with the suggestion that the said conferences be entered into within a short and prudent space of time, under the valued auspices of the American Government in its capital or under any of the other friendly Governments, and in a place to be designated.
[Page 501]My Government feels a lively interest in such an arrangement because not otherwise can or will disappear the principal cause of the present dispute which has occasioned Ecuador so many and such grave injuries, and whose foreign office considers, as stated in an official communication addressed to his excellency, Mr. Fox, the American minister in Quito, that any postponement will only put off the war for a few months longer—that is to say, until the desired conciliation shall have encountered greater odium and more numerous obstacles.
In this direct negotiation of which I have been speaking it is the opinion of my Government that a representative of Colombia should participate, as was urged expressly by the foreign office of Ecuador in the note of May 24 last, above referred to, as has also been definitely requested by the Government of Colombia in stating through its minister at this capital that it would regard as without effect, so far as Colombia was concerned, any settlement in which the latter was eliminated for the conclusion of a contest between Ecuador and Peru in the question of the Amazon region. Were the question under consideration discussed and settled between Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, all occasion of discord between the three nations would forever disappear, and, the peace of South America being thus assured, the three Governments would dedicate themselves, in their respective spheres, to the work of civilization demanded by these vast areas, the most fertile and rich of our southern America.
Such an inexpressible benefit would be owing to the exquisite foresight and lofty discernment of the mediating powers, and Ecuador, for its part, cherishes the hope that it may be generously and effectively brought to pass; the opening of the century being thus consecrated to an event to be most worthily recorded in American history—the pacification of a continent through the wisdom and the lofty fraternal spirit of three illustrious nations.
As to the previous matter of mutual and reciprocal expressions of regret for the unfortunate occurrences in Lima, Guayaquil, and Quito in the early part of last April my Government has no objection whatever to oppose to the well-considered terms of the draft protocol and therefore accepts them as a formula in keeping with the dignity of the two nations.
In the event that the result of the agreement concerning the delimitation of the frontiers can not be drawn up in other form than a public treaty between the interested nations, even if this be done through the agency of mediation, I judge it necessary to suggest that, according to the constitutional law of Ecuador, such a treaty would have to be submitted ex post facto to the approval of the National Legislature, an approval which would be forthcoming if, as is to be hoped, the delimitation agreed upon should be in conformity with equity and justice.
Trusting that, with these statements being taken into consideration, the execution of the draft protocol may be proceeded with without delay, thus rendering the mediation project effective, and tendering to the honorable representatives of the friendly Governments expressions of the loftiest recognition on behalf of my own, I have, etc.,