File No. 763.72119/944
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Uruguay ( Jeffery)
Your November 16, 4 a.m.2 Government of Peru has informed this Government that Peru replied to invitation of Argentine Government to attend conference at Buenos Aires, stating Peru had already traced a well-defined line of conduct in actual war and regretted that this would prevent her from attending. Despite this refusal President of Argentina insisted Peru should attend stating that Peru might defend in conference doctrine of solidarity with United States, and obtain a resolution by conference to effect that all America should sever relations with Germany as proof of American solidarity.
Government of Peru states that President of Argentina has moreover declared that Argentine Government is disposed to sever relations with Germany should conference at Buenos Aires pass resolution to that effect. Government of Peru has asked this Government whether it deems it advisable for Peru to state to Argentine Government that it would attend conference, provided conference [Page 373] deals before all with question of severance of diplomatic relations with Germany and provided furthermore that Government of Argentina agreed to support this proposition, and that if Government of United States approved of plan Peru would attend conference after having obtained agreement from Bolivia, Ecuador, and Uruguay that they would withdraw from conference were motion to break relations with Germany not approved.
Peruvian Chargé d’Affaires at Washington was informed by Secretary of State that this Government approved of plan as outlined, and Chargé d’Affaires so informed his Government.
On November 20 Peruvian Chargé informed Department that under date of November 19 his Government had advised him that it was expecting a reply from Argentine Government to above-mentioned plan and that Government of Uruguay had accepted the plan.
On November 20 the Peruvian Chargé received a telegram from his Government saying that President of Argentina informed Peruvian Minister at Buenos Aires on November 19 that the conference at Buenos Aires would be empowered to decide upon severance of diplomatic relations with Germany and also upon question of war, but that he declined to bind himself by previous engagement to continue to discuss the subject. Peruvian Minister will see him again and has been instructed by his Government to insist upon plan.
You may confirm statement made by Government of Peru to Government of Uruguay that plan had met with the approval of the Government of the United States.
Repeat to Embassy at Bio de Janeiro for its information with reference to its November 14, 5 p.m., to Department,1 adding that Brazilian Ambassador has been informed of this matter.
Repeat to Embassy at Buenos Aires for its information with reference to its November 14, 1 p.m., and November 16, 1 p.m., to Department,2 requesting that it be repeated for information of Legation, Asuncion, with reference to that Legation’s cable to Department, November 22, 6 p.m.