701.2325/50: Telegram The Ambassador in Peru (Moore) to the Secretary of State [Paraphrase] LIMA, August 23, 1928-1 p. m. [Received 1:44 p. m.] 97. I have been requested by the Minister for Foreign Affairs to ask for the good offices of the United States for the formal agrément from the Government of Chile for Cesar A. Elguera as Ambassador to Chile. As soon as I am informed of the receipt of the Chilean reply, the name will be made public here. MOORE 701.2325/50: Telegram The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Peru (Moore) [Paraphrase] WASHINGTON, August 25, 1928—1 p. m. 69. The contents of your telegram No. 97, August 23, 1 p. m., were immediately communicated to the Chilean Ambassador in Washington. Yesterday he cabled his Government and now has received a reply stating that the Chilean Government is very happy to accord agrément for Señor Elguera as Peruvian Ambassador to Chile. WHITE 701.2523/21 No. 108 The Chargé in Peru (Hanna) to the Secretary of State LIMA, October 8, 1928. SIR: With reference to my telegram No. 114 of October 2, 2 [5] p. m.,33 I have the honor to report that the Chilean Ambassador, Señor Emiliano Figueroa Larrain, presented his credentials to President Leguía on October 3, 1928. His remarks, together with President Leguía's reply, as they appeared in La Prensa on October 4, are enclosed herewith. La Prensa, of October 6, also published the remarks made by President Ibáñez of Chile when the Peruvian Ambassador, Doctor Elguera, presented his credentials on October 5. His remarks terminated with the following paragraph: "I desire that the differences which have separated us for so long a time may be immediately settled in a definite manner on a basis of justice and greater equity". 33 Not printed. A high official of the Foreign Office here told me that he considered this reference by President Ibáñez to "justice and greater equity" as especially significant. I have [etc.] MATTHEW E. HANNA [Enclosure Translation] Remarks of the Newly Appointed Chilean Ambassador to Peru (Figueroa) on the Occasion of the Presentation of His Letters of Credence on October 3, and Reply of President Leguía YOUR EXCELLENCY: I am particularly pleased and honored to place in Your Excellency's hands the letters of credence with which His Excellency Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, President of Chile, accredits me as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary before the Government of Peru. These credentials are of transcendental importance. They embody the desire to renew, on a stable and definitive basis, the political relations of two countries which should end their differences in order to collaborate more fully for the progress of the Continent. My mission, Your Excellency, has as its special object the cultivation of the spirit of cooperation and harmony in the reciprocal relations of Peru and Chile, whose mutual intelligence all America hopes will produce worthy results. This situation has, moreover, given the Secretary of State of the United States the opportunity to take the happy initiative in paving the way for your Government and mine to renew diplomatic relations, as a consequence of the spiritual friendship already awakened between the two peoples. A desire for frank concord reigns today over the relations of the greatest nations of the world, and an intense seeking for tranquility and harmony is clearly visible in all manifestations of the popular will. And these nations of America which guard the treasure of their youth and natural riches, must live a life of frank understanding and fruitful economic cooperation. Toward the realization of these ends I shall bring all the earnestness animating not only my Government but me personally, and I entertain the firm conviction that in the discharge of this task I can count upon the wholehearted assistance of Your Excellency and of your worthy colleagues in the Government of Peru. Permit me, Your Excellency, to express my sincerest wishes for the prosperity of Peru and for the personal happiness of Your Excellency. In reply, President Leguía spoke as follows: YOUR EXCELLENCY: It is with especial pleasure that I receive the letters accrediting you in the high position of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Government of Chile before my Government. There was a time, Your Excellency, when the traditions of the past united us fraternally in the shadow of a history forged by common heroes on a soil whose continuity was marked by the hand of God. In the course of time peoples unite or separate, according to the voice that moved them. There was an epoch during which predominated dissolving forces which provoked the perpetual anarchy of the universe; but today, by the law of evolution which transforms primitive instincts into intelligence, forces of cooperation dominate the world; these forces weld men and peoples and establish the reign of peace and love. Believing thus, His Excellency the Secretary of State, Mr. Frank B. Kellogg, proposed the suggestion, which we accepted, that diplomatic relations between our two peoples be reestablished. These relations were broken in a moment when human conscience had not revealed its strength for transforming the past, embittered by wars, into the present, illuminated by peace. We live, Your Excellency, in an historic moment. Your presence in the ancient house made illustrious by the legendary life of Pizarro; your words which demonstrate the sincerity of your convictions; the generous attitude of His Excellency, the President of Chile, statesman and patriot,-all seem to anticipate the coming of an hour which posterity shall bless: the hour for liquidating, with justice and abnegation, the errors of the past, as you have so well said, in a manner which shall reestablish firmly and definitively the friendship between Peru and Chile, in order, that, in the future, without fear nor distrust, the ancient brotherhood which our strength and glory generated, may be achieved anew. Your Excellency, in acknowledging your high diplomatic rank, it gives me pleasure to offer you all the assistance of my Government for the greatest success of your mission and to request that you transmit to your country my best wishes for the prosperity of Chile and the personal happiness of your worthy President. 701.2325/59 The Ambassador in Chile (Culbertson) to the Secretary of State No. 26 SANTIAGO, October 8, 1928. [Received October 30.] SIR: I have the honor to report that the new Peruvian Ambassador to Chile, señor don César A. Elguera, with three secretaries, Javier Correa y Elías, Hector Adolfo Morey and Javier Delgado Yrigoyen, arrived in Santiago from Peru on the 3d instant, and on October 5 señor Elguera was officially presented to President Ibáñez. In presenting his credentials to the President, Ambassador Elguera said: "On presenting the letters which accredit me as Ambassador of Peru to your country, I intend [extend?] the sincerest good wishes, in the name of my Government and in my own, for the prosperity of your country and your personal happiness." In the following brief reply by President Ibáñez, it will be noticed that he pays a tribute to the part played by Secretary Kellogg in bringing about the resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The President said: "On recognizing Your Excellency as the Ambassador of Peru to my Government, I wish to pay my tribute in the first place to the eminent American statesman, Mr. Kellogg, whose felicitous initiative it was to invite us to renew our diplomatic relations. "In this act of historical significance of our countries, I make the sincerest good wishes for the prosperity and greatness of Peru, and for the happiness of the eminent citizen who rules her destinies, His Excellency señor Leguía, and I assure you, Mr. Ambassador, that in my country and in my Government you will meet with all the facilities necessary for the discharge of your noble mission. "At the same time I pray that Divine Providence may illumine our relations and strengthen the desire of peace and concord which exists in our peoples, to the end that they may soon move forward together, as they were born together, to independence. "I wish that the differences which have separated us for so long may be speedily and definitively resolved according to principles of justice and greater equity." I have [etc.] W. S. CULBERTSON TACNA-ARICA DISPUTE: BEGINNING OF DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN CHILE AND PERU AT THE SUGGESTION OF THE UNITED The Ambassador in Peru (Moore) to the Secretary of State [Paraphrase] LIMA, June 18, 1928-2 p. m. 60. I saw President Leguia. At present the Tacna-Arica situation is as follows: President Leguia prefers and is anxious to have President Coolidge render a decision settling the entire controversy, and he will unquestionably stand by that decision. I am satisfied that President Leguia's reason for this is that while he is most anxious 34 For previous correspondence concerning the Tacna-Arica dispute, see Foreign Relations, 1926, vol. 1, pp. 260 ff. and pp. 486 ff. 85 to get the matter out of the way, he does not want any responsibility before the public that can be avoided. President Leguia would, of course, accept internationalization of the whole zone. If the plantations, port and city of Arica were internationalized, he would divide the disputed territory in two. He would exchange Ministers, but he will not take the initiative in suggesting this. There is a remote possibility that he might agree to divide the territory and have an international commission decide the compensation to Peruvian individuals for damages to their property or for property taken from them. President Leguia is unalterably opposed to turning the territory over to Bolivia. There is no question of a sincere desire for a settlement. If the Department has any suggestions, or cares to feel out Chile on any suggestions, the time is now propitious to do so as there is no question that Peru is receptive but fears the political consequences of initiating any movement. I am awaiting the Department's suggestions or instructions. MOORE 723.2515/3154: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Peru (Moore) [Paraphrase] WASHINGTON, September 26, 1928—4 p. m. 75. Embassy's telegram No. 60, June 18, 2 p. m., in which you state: "There is a remote possibility that he might agree to divide the territory and have an international commission decide the compensation to Peruvian individuals for damages to their property or for property taken from them." It seems to me that the time is now propitious to inaugurate in some way conversations looking to the settlement of the Tacna-Arica question. In a short time Ambassadors will be resident in each country. In view of the improved feeling between the two countries, can you ascertain from President Leguia how far he would be willing to go in the settlement of this matter? I gather from President Leguia's statements to you that he will not agree to the transfer of any of the territory to Bolivia. I do not believe that Chile will agree to neutralization. It seems to me, therefore, that the division would be the best. The first proposition I ever made was for division. However, I do not desire to make a definite proposition to either country at present, but I should like to have President Leguia's agreement in principle on a settlement before I make any further propositions. 35 See pp. 647 ff. 237576-42- -50 KELLOGG |