DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Memorandum of Conversation
Date: March 15, 1949
Subject: ------
Participants: The Secretary of State Uruguayan Ambassador Dr. Alberto DomÃnguez Cámpora Mr. R. Kenneth Oakley, RPA, Uruguayan Desk Officer
Copies to: IA - Mr. Dreier Embassy Montevideo
Ambassador DomÃnguez Cámpora began by wishing me success as Secretary of State, especially in the struggle with communism. He said that he had discussed the communist problem on several occasions with Ambassador Briggs in Montevideo and with officials of the Department, and that he had helped to formulate and implement Uruguayan policy which is an exact parallel of the United States position in this regard. He added that the Uruguayan Government has the very highest regard for Ambassador Briggs and entire confidence in his ability.
The Ambassador then referred to his conversations with Mr. Paul C. Daniels regarding Uruguayan preoccupation with respect to Argentine ambitions which he said included plans to absorb Uruguay, even politically. He stated that he is entirely satisfied with the answers thus far given him by Mr. Daniels with respect to United States obligations under the 1947 Rio Treaty in any case of aggression.
I told the Ambassador that Mr. Daniels had spoken to me of these conversations and that I was happy to ratify everything told him by Mr. Daniels. (Reference memorandum of conversation of February 10, 1949.)
The Ambassador then mentioned his efforts to find an acceptable formula for consideration by the Inter American Juridical Committee, possibly in September 1949, concerning the problem of de facto governments in the Americas. He considers that each such government was a victory for communism. He added that he had discussed these matters also with Mr. Daniels and would continue to keep the Department advised of his progress.
I expressed the Department's great interest in this difficult and basic problem, and my appreciation of the Ambassador's cooperation. I assured him that I would be very happy to see him at any time he had a problem he wished to discuss with me.
Dean Acheson