724.3415/4373: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul at Geneva (Gilbert)
126. Your 356, November 24, midnight. Please address the following reply to Avenol:
“My Government has directed me to make the following reply to your letter of November 24, 1934, transmitting the invitation of the Advisory Committee appointed by the Assembly of the League of Nations in accordance with part 6 of the report adopted on that date by the Assembly concerning the dispute between Bolivia and Paraguay.
My Government has given attentive consideration to the duties and responsibilities of the Advisory Committee as set out in the aforementioned report. The Advisory Committee, which has already met at Geneva, is composed of representatives of 23 States, including the States members of the Council of the League of Nations as well as other States. The Committee has been constituted ‘to follow the situation, more especially as regards the execution of the Assembly’s recommendations for the settlement of the dispute and to assist the members of the League to concert their action and their attitude among themselves and with non-member States, more particularly as regard the most effective application, the modification, or withdrawal of the prohibiting of the supply of arms’, as well as ‘to make any proposals it may think desirable’. The Committee ‘shall have power to make any communication, recommendation or proposal which it considers desirable to the members of the League, the Assembly, or the Council. It shall communicate its reports to the Governments of the States non-members of the League which are cooperating in its work, as well as to the members of the League. The Committee shall more particularly bear in mind the Assembly’s desire that the state of breach of obligations (of the Covenant of the League of Nations) to settle disputes by peaceful means shall promptly be brought to an end.’
In view of these powers, duties, and responsibilities of the Advisory Committee as above briefly reviewed, my Government, inasmuch as it is not a member of the League of Nations, does not find it possible to collaborate in the work of this Committee. However, in accordance with the policy of my Government, which it has consistently followed, and repeatedly announced, of furthering in every possible and practical manner, the peaceful settlement of this dispute, my Government will be glad to instruct me to maintain informal contact with the members of the Advisory Committee for purposes of information, if this should be found agreeable by the Committee.”
Deliver foregoing reply to-morrow, December 7, in the forenoon. Department will release it for publication here at noon to-morrow.