DECLASSIFIED REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES Authority Statele Her Inhz 8:ML NARS Date 2498 Desp. No. 323 American Embassy, San José, June 30, 1948.
CONFIDENTIAL forces, and members of the Picado government or Manuel Mora as one of the strongest factors in the situation then existing. The diplomatic group did, it is true, meet on a number of occasions with the several protagonists and such suggestions as it may have put forth were free to be accepted or rejected either by the government or by the representative of the revolutionary forces. The first paragraph of the April 19 agreement makes this point abundantly clear since it reads in translation as follows. Because of the mediation requested of the diplomatic corps by the government of Costa Rica, various conversations were undertaken between the President of the Republic, Lic. don Teodoro Picado; his re presentatives; and the delegate of the Army of National Liberation, Father don Benjamin Nuñez.
The only other reference to the diplomatio corps in the document cited is contained in the last paragraph wherein it is stated. The signatories of the present agreement expressly acknowledge their recognition of the noble humanitarian sentiments which at all times have inspired the effort of the diplomatic corps. They profusely thank them in the name of the country for this disinterested intervention in the cause of peace and make olear that the representatives of that high body at no time strayed from the most absolute neutrality nor directed their actions to the betterment or worsening of the political situation of either of the contending parties or to favor. hinder their plans and military operations.
Should the diplomatic corps in any way have obligated itself to guarantee the observation of the paot, a provision to that effect would most obviously been included and would undoubtedly have been the subject to considered and lengthy de bate with the other members of the diplomatic corps when the terms of the. pact were brought to its attention. The only possible responsibility for guaranteeing the observanoa of the pact which the Embassy feels may have e limited extent lies in the fact that its violation would be disrespectful to the members of the diplomatio corps individu: 1y and collectively and, by extension, an arfront to thei. governments.
As enclosure to the De partment instruotion no. 62 there was forwarded a copy of a letter of May 12 from former President Picado to the Papal Nuncio dealing with this question of moral responsibility on the part of the diplomatic corps. Since the receipt of this communication by the Nunoio, have CONFIDENTIAL