710.Consultation 3/396: Telegram
The American Representative (Welles) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:57 p.m.]
27. I have now had three very long conversations with the Argentine Foreign Minister. I have made all of the obvious arguments in favor of unity but I have likewise made it clear that my Government like almost every other government of the American Republics believes that the continued presence of Axis representatives on the territory of the American Republics is a fundamental danger to the security of those republics which are at war and to the capacity of the other American Republics for effective self-defense. I made it very clear that in my judgment the issue is one regarding which no compromise can be found although, of course, I as well as the other chiefs of delegations will make every effort to find some phraseology acceptable to all, provided the necessary principles are maintained intact.
In a conversation which I had with Dr. Ruiz Guiñazú the night before last he maintained that Argentina would be willing to break relations with the Axis Powers in April but that because of the fact that congressional elections are scheduled to take place in Argentina in March the raising of this issue at the present moment in Argentina would create insuperable political difficulties for the Government which intends in any way that may be necessary to see that the outcome of these elections is satisfactory to it from the political standpoint.
He has raised the same issue in his conversations with President Vargas.
Until yesterday he was alleging that Peru, Chile and Paraguay would support the Argentine position of opposition to a joint declaration breaking relations. I had arrangements made, however, to have him informed by a source in which he has confidence that the President of Peru72 only yesterday gave categorical instructions to his delegation to support our position and that the Paraguayan Foreign Minister had received final instructions to support Brazil and the United States. At the same time the Chilean Foreign Minister came to see me and told me that notwithstanding instructions he [Page 31] had originally received against the severance of relations, he was now personally convinced that the step should be taken and he had sent the most urgent messages to Santiago requesting full authority to join in the proposed declaration. At midnight last night he told me that he expected to receive satisfactory instructions today.
All of these facts have created a state of panic in the mind of Dr. Ruiz Guiñazú. He now sees Argentina completely isolated but whether, as he tells me, he has urged Acting President Castillo to change the orders or not, the position taken by the Acting President of Argentina appears to be consistently obstinate with regard to the issue of the severance of relations.
After his interview with President Vargas last night Dr. Ruiz Guiñazú came unannounced to see me to tell me that the Argentine Government was willing to take the following steps:
- (a)
- to request that an additional article to the project for the severance of relations as presented by the Mexican, Colombian and Venezuelan Foreign Ministers (the text of which is practically identical with that drafted in the Department of State) be adopted which would state that any American republics which felt it impossible to take the action contemplated by the proposed joint declaration immediately would be able later to adhere thereto. In this way he said Argentina could take the proposed action in April.
- [(b)]
- Argentina would present a project of which he gave me the text
providing for a joint declaration which, after the customary
preambles of reference, contains two articles as follows:
- “1. The American Republics condemn the attack upon the United States of America and reaffirm their firm decision to lend assistance to the nation which has been the subject of aggression.
- 2. Each American state will negotiate with the United States of America the form in which such assistance shall be lent and will enter into bilateral or multilateral conventions necessary for the defense of the Continent.”
I have told Dr. Ruiz Guiñazú that I responded sincerely to his desire to adopt a course which would promote unity and avoid the tragic impression at this time that the unity of the hemisphere had been broken. I said, however, that I did not see that the steps which he contemplated provided any solution. I said that the mere fact that Argentina would refrain from signing the proposed declaration for the severance of relations with the Axis Powers could only be interpreted as demonstrating Argentina’s unwillingness to join in measures believed essential for the defense of the hemisphere by the other 20 American Republics. With regard to the specific project which he had handed me and which he emphasized should be regarded as supplementary to the proposed declaration for the severance of relations I said I would give the matter the most attentive study and discuss it with other chiefs of delegation but that it was my firm belief that it constituted a retrogression and was highly unsatisfactory.
[Page 32]I have studiously avoided in my conversations with him any syllable which could be used by him as a complaint that the United States was bringing economic or financial pressure upon Argentina. I have, however, asked some of the advisers in the delegation in talking with Prebisch and Irgoyen73 to continue to make it clear as from me that at a time like this the economic and financial assistance which the United States can give the other American Republics will necessarily be given only to those nations which are whole-heartedly and effectively cooperating with us in the defense of the hemisphere. All of the necessary effect in this regard has consequently undoubtedly already been created.
I am seeing President Vargas this evening and I will then learn from him what message he may have received directly from the Acting President of Argentina.
Repeated to Buenos Aires for the strictly confidential information for Ambassador Armour.