Organization of American States

Abstract

CouncilCosta Rica–Nicaragua Situation: At a special meeting of the Council on January 10, 1955, the representative of Costa Rica requested the Council to take action to protect Costa Rica's territorial integrity and sovereignty from intervention by the government of Nicaragua, by convoking a Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, pursuant to Article 6 of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, to act as Organ of Consultation in the matter. The Council had referred a similar request for action on April 21, 1954 back to the two countries for direct negotiations. The representative of Costa Rica charged that his country had tried to settle the dispute by direct negotiation and mediation, but that groups had meanwhile been trained and mobilized for invasion. The representative of Nicaragua stated in reply that the Costa Rican accusations were baseless and that President Figueros of Costa Rica was using them to rouse his people's patriotism and gain support for his regime. After prolonged discussion the Council decided to hold a meeting on January 12 to study the matter further and take suitable action; in the meantime the governments of Costa Rica and of Nicaragua were asked to refrain from acts likely to aggravate the controversy.