738.39/3–949
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Webb)
| Participants: | The Under Secretary |
| Mr. Joseph D. Charles, Haitian Ambassador | |
| Mr. Leonard H. Price—CRB1 |
Ambassador Charles called at his request for the purpose of reviewing recent developments in the relations between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. He gave a brief résumé of the activities of former Haitian Chargé d’Affaires (in Ecuador), Astrel Roland. He said that these activities had been conducted with the full knowledge, and apparently the permission, of the Dominican Government and that Roland [Page 443] was even now continuing his provocative radio broadcasts against the Haitian Government in general and President Estimé in particular. He inquired whether there was anything the U.S. Government could do which might be of assistance to Haiti in this matter.
I told the Ambassador that I had been in touch with Mr. Daniels2 on this matter and had followed events with a great deal of interest. I said that it was my understanding that the subject had been considered at a meeting of the Council of the Organization of American States recently and that I had hoped that, in accordance with the recommendation of the Council, it would be possible to effect a satisfactory solution to the problem by direct negotiations between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Ambassador Charles indicated that he had shared the hope of a satisfactory settlement by direct negotiations but that his hopes had been dampened considerably by the continued broadcasts of Roland over the Dominican radio facilities after the decision of the Council of the Organization of American States on February 25. He mentioned also that an earlier effort had been made to reach a solution by direct negotiations when the Haitian Government addressed a note to the Dominican Government on February 9. He said that this effort had met with no success.
Ambassador Charles inquired what, under the circumstances, would be the reaction of this Government to a Haitian request for our good offices in effecting an understanding with the Dominican Government. I replied that without going into the ramifications of assistance by “good offices” I could say that this Government was most sympathetic and friendly toward Haiti and that it was anxious to make every proper effort toward ironing out Haiti’s differences with its neighbor. I felt, however, that any effort in this direction would be considerably strengthened if we could point to compliance by Haiti with the resolution unanimously adopted on February 25 by the Council of the Organization of American States.
Ambassador Charles then inquired what our reaction might be to a proposal by Haiti that the “Committee of Five” consider this matter pursuant to the terms of the Habana Resolution of 1940. Mr. Price briefly explained the terms of the Habana Resolution in question and then expressed the opinion, in which I concurred, that my previous reply to Ambassador Charles would cover his inquiry regarding this procedure; namely, that it would strengthen the position of the U.S. Government in seeking any new means of solving the problem to be able to point to an attempt by the Haitian Government to comply with a recommendation which has already been made in the premises by the [Page 444] COAS. I reiterated my previous expressions of interest in this matter and voiced the hope that the Haitian Government would find it possible to effect a satisfactory solution to the problem under discussion by means of direct negotiations pursuant to the recent decision of the Council of the Organization of American States.
Ambassador Charles expressed his thanks and indicated that he would communicate the substance of our conversation to his Government.3