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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />- 2 - <br /> <br />users, but rather eight including Mexico; 4) that the gap between 850 ppm <br /> <br />N <br />N <br />00 <br />N <br /> <br />and 1300 ppm is just too large and our proposals up to now have therefore <br /> <br />not been sufficient; and 5) that some solution needed to be found in <br /> <br />connection with President Echeverria's forthcoming visit to Washington. <br /> <br />On March 1, Ambassador McBride sought out the Foreign Secretary <br /> <br />and successfully persuaded him to review the subject of salinity in view <br /> <br />of the Secretary's own letter to us of September, 1971. On this occasion <br /> <br />the Foreign Secretary seemed to accept the position that the actual degree <br /> <br />of salinity is the vital consideration. Therefore, he indicated a <br /> <br />willingness to soft pedal the legal aspect if a sufficient decrease in <br /> <br />salinity could be obtained. "Reluctantly" he said he would abide by his <br /> <br />September, 1971 proposals. From this conversation and a subsequent follow- <br /> <br />up conversation came the following six points which comprise the substance <br /> <br />of the Mexican position, namely 1) the water to be furnished Mexico under <br /> <br />the 1944 Treaty should be less than 1300 ppm and less than we are presently <br /> <br />furnishing; 2) we should furnish the total amount of water which is <br /> <br />specified in the Treaty; 3) Mexico should not be obliged to waste any of <br /> <br />the water which is furnished to her because of excess salinity; 4) the <br /> <br />duration of the interim agreement should not be longer than President <br /> <br />Echeverria's term; ,5) the interim agreement would not prejudice the <br /> <br />legal position of either party; 6) when the interim agreement was announced <br /> <br />it would also be stated by the two parties that during the period of its <br /> <br />existence at least a start would be made on a definitive solution with <br /> <br />a provision that the problem should go to a third party for solution <br /> <br />if the two countries were unable to COme to an agreement bilaterally. <br /> <br />