Evening star., 1933-01-26

minister on the controversy withA Co
lombia over the town Of Leticia: *@.sss
THE government of Colombia has
communicated to the Government of
the United States of America, as a
signatory Of the treaty for the renuncia-
ton Of war as an instrument Of ma
tional policy, signed at Paris August
q. 1928, the text of the telegram which
the minister of foreign affairs of Co.
lombia addressed to your excellency on
January II regarding the situation aris-
ing out of the expulsion of the Co.
lombian authorities from Leticia by
Peruvian Nationals on September /,
1882. A copy Of your eXcellency's re-
ply of January IA was at the same time
communicated to me.
From an examination of this corre-
| spondence. 1t appears that the govern
ment of Peru recognizes the validity Of
| the boundary treaty Of 1922 between
Peru and Colombia and that there is,
| therefore, no dispute between the two
countries regarding sovereignty over the
Leticia area, which Is recognized by
both as belonging to Colombia.
Attack Is Charged.
The Colombian government charges
that on the night August 3l-Septem-
ber l, 1892, Colombian authorities OF
prisoned, and deported by group OF
armed Peruvian individuals, and that
since then Peruvian military forces OF
the department of Loreto have COM
mitted repeated acts of aggression
against the Leticia territory and have
dug trenches, not only in the town OF
Leticia and its environs. but also at
Tarapaca in Colombian territory on the
Putumayo River; that they have taken
field and machine guns to both places,
and have made preparations for armed
resistance; that they have taken their
military airplanes to Columbian territory
and that the military authorities at
Iquitos have communicated with Peru
Wan garrisons in the region to inform
them that the Peruvian government
will hold the town of Leticia by force.
The Peruian government states
that the occurrences at Leticla on Sep
tember l were surprise to the Peru
Wan government as we'll as to the
Colombian government. Your govern
ment adds that the precautions which
the military authorities of Loreto
found themselves obliged to adopt SUBJ
sequently were the consequence Of the
large-scale preparations which we're
being made by Colombia to recover
Leticia.
Solution Hoped For.
While no specific denial is made
of the charges advanced by the Colom-
bian government that since the original
taking of Letica Peruvian forces have
intrenched themselves in that terri
tory, which they have fortified have
nl 70
your excellency's telegram of January
IA in which you state that forcible
retention of Leticia by your government
cannot be spoken of, as it is not the
Peruvian government which has occu-
pied that town and is holding 1t up
to the present. This statement and
the encouraging fact that you definite
ly affirm the intention OF the Peruvian
government to abide by the treaty OF
1922 and the Briand-Kellog anti-war
pact, lead me to hope that solution
of this difficulty will be found by your
government urging the Peruvian indi-
viduals who are now usurping authority
in the Leticia areas, which the Peru
Wan government recognizes as Colom-
bian, not to oppose the peaceful re-
establishment of Colombian authority
there.
Modification Aim.
"You state in your telegram Of the
14th instant to the minister OF foreign
affairs of Colombia, above referred to-.
that your government only seeks a
modification of the frontier line estab-
lished in the treaty of 1922 and not the
abrogation of that treaty. When one
of the parties to a treaty is dissatisfied
Herewith, it is, of course, perfectly
proper and usual for it to open nego-
tiations for a modification thereof, and
to seek settlement Of the difference
through pacific means. In fact, to
deal with the matter otherwise would
run counter to the stipulatlons OF
Article II of the Briand-Kellogg pact,
by which the high contracting parties
agreed that the settlement or solution
Of all disputes or conflicts, OF what
ever nature or origin they may be.
which may arise among them, shall
never be sought except by paclhc
means.
"As pointed out above. there is no
dispute between the two parties regard
ing the present ownership OF Leticla.
This was recognized by Peru In the
treaty. of 1922 as belonging to Colombia,
and YOUR government now aff1rms again
its view that this treaty is valid. The
essential difference which the above
referred to correspondence between the
two governments brings out Is that your
government now desires future modl-
ication of the frontier line which would
transfer Leticia to Peru in return Tor
adequate territorial compensatlons: AS
pointed out, that, under Article IL OF
the BRAND kellogg pact, can be sought
only by pacific means.
Colombian Objective.
1.-The telegram of the minister OF
foreign affairs of Colombia to your
excellency of January II declares, on
behalf of the government OF COLOMBIA,
that in such action as II may DC
necessary for Colombia to take IN the
Leticia region its forces are advancing
merely in order to reoccupy Colombian
territory and to prevent the conunu-
ance in that region OF the conoltlons
of violence which have caused tne
suspension there of all law and rlght
in violation of public treaties. The
communication continues to affirm that
the Colombian forces which will be
employed for that purpose will avoid
conflict with the military forces OF
Peru unless the latter oppose the
Colombian forces in their task OF
restoring the legitimate authorities OF
Colombia. The government of Colombia
requested the government Of Peru. on
the basis of the friendly relations that
have so long existed between them,
forces, or any other agents Of Peru,
should not resist these legitimate
operations of the forces Of Colombia
which are necessary for the rightiul
maintenance of its government. The
Colombian government added that it
reiterated "the assurance already given
that once Colombian sovereignty over
Leticia and the surrounding territory
is re-established, if there is then any
other matter which the Peruvian gov
ernment desires to discuss, the Co.
lombian government will be ready to
discuss it in the most ample spirit OF
Cancellation and Vhat such settlement
can then be arrived AZ, either through
tofi thPn11uh