724.3415/4879: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Argentina (Weddell)
51. Your 47, May 18, 10 a.m. You may address a note to the signers of the note received by you and hand it to the Minister for Foreign Affairs at the next meeting of the Mediation Commission and state therein that should it be determined as the result of the present negotiations to hold an economic conference to study “the transit system between Bolivia and Paraguay” as well as “economic measures for the reconstruction and progress of both countries” and should both Bolivia and Paraguay desire the participation of the United States in such a conference, the Government of the United [Page 63] States will be pleased to accept such invitation and to designate a representative to take part therein.
For your confidential information and not for discussion at this time, if the proposed economic conference takes place the practical results of such a conference would seem to depend upon the nature of the “regional agreements” which may be negotiated. These regional agreements necessarily would be between the belligerents and between the belligerents and the neighboring states. The desire of the Brazilian Government to have the United States represented is because of Brazil’s belief that the United States would necessarily be an impartial and disinterested participant and it is solely because of this fact and because of the belief of this Government that its participation may be helpful along these lines that the Department is willing to accept the invitation. It would, of course, be impossible for this Government to become a signatory to any “regional agreements” of the character proposed and for that reason any reference to “regional agreements” in your reply to the invitation extended should be omitted.