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<br />-2- <br /> <br />'.,i <br /> <br />country as a permanent and definitive solution. During the course of <br /> <br />N <br />w <br />I'""" <br />W <br /> <br />difficult but amiable negotiations, Mexican officials at times questioned <br /> <br />that I was proposing a just solution. No doubt the same thought has <br /> <br />occurred to some of you. That both sides look upon it with some <br /> <br />dissatisfaction may be the only kind of reaction a good compromise can <br /> <br />expect. I hope it is a favorable omen for the settlement. <br /> <br />It was, I am sure we must all agree, a foregone conclusion. that there . <br /> <br />would have to be compromise. The interpretation we gave the 1944.Water <br /> <br /> <br />Treaty, albeit historically correct in my opinion, was no longer tenable <br /> <br />in a hypersensitive, environment-conscious world. We simply could not <br /> <br />continue to insist that Mexico accept drainage waters of the salinity and <br /> <br />of the quantity being delivered or in prospect. The situation brought <br /> <br />into sharp focus the fact that the 1944 Water Treaty contained no specific <br /> <br />provisions relating to the quality of water to be delivered to Mexico. We. <br /> <br />31 <br /> <br />.j <br /> <br />were told publicly in 1945 by United States, as well as Mexican, commentators. <br /> <br />;~ <br />.' <br /> <br />that there had been no meeting of minds between the negotiators on this <br /> <br />,.~ <br />:, <br />~ <br /> <br />point, Fortunately, the Treaty does expressly provide for its interpretation. <br /> <br />, <br />., <br /> <br />This we are doing, so that the Water Treaty will be indeed a perpetual <br /> <br />\ <br />.1 <br />, <br />.l <br /> <br />instrument. But, in undertaking so serious a matter as an interpretation <br /> <br />of our rights and obligations under the Water Treaty, we have been extremely <br /> <br />cautious. I believe that as a consequence the Water Treaty stands intact. <br /> <br />How have we interpreted our obligation in respect to the quality of <br /> <br />water we may deliver to Mexico? In the negotiation of the new agreement, <br /> <br />Minute No. 242 of the International Boundary and l-later Commission, \~e <br /> <br />insisted that the United States must be able to deliver drainage water <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />,:it-_", <br /> <br />