Attachment, Page 1

CONFIDENTIAL Enclosure #2 Airgram A-48 From: Mexico, D.F. July 13, 1964 (Informal Translation) My dear Mr. President and distinguished friend: The Secretary for Foreign Relations has informed me of the content of a communication which the Mexican Member of the International Boundary and Water Commission received from his North American colleague and which, in very general terms, makes known the ideas of your Government for the solution of the serious problem which the Mexicali Valley faces because of the discharge of saline waters coming from the Wellton-Mohawk district. Although it would be premature to pronounce a judgment as to whether the measures suggested in that communication will lead to the permanent and effective solution to which our Governments are committed, I should like to express to you my appreciation for the earnestness which you have demonstrated in this matter, without doubt the most serious of those which are pending between our two countries. Once the studies which are being carried out by the agencies of my Government involved in these matters are completed, Commissioner Herrera Jordan will inform his colleague whether Mexico considers that the bases which have been made known to us "in the nature of an initial proposal" could constitute a point of departure adequate to negotiate a satisfactory solution. I take note, for the present, of the statement that is made by Comissioner Friedkin, with the authorization of the Government of the United States, In the next-to-the-last paragraph of his communication, that a coordinated program of deliveries and diversions which will be agreed upon for the coming winter "will allow delivery to Mexico of water at least of as good quality as that which it received in the winter of 1963-64". I should like to add, Mr. President, in the most cordial and yet at the same time the most categorical manner, that if we should eventually come to agree on one or more of the alternatives which have been presented, this should in no way be understood as an expression of our agreement to receive, as part of the quota to which we are entitled in accordance with the Treaty of 1944, waters coming from the underground deposit of Wellton-Mohawk CONFIDENTIALEpson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 9,591,296 byte