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the Department of State to sign a Memorandum of Agree- ment with the Guatemalan Ambassador, settin~ forth that in response to a request from the Guatemalan government the US would provide military training for selected elements of the Guatemalan armed forces. 72/ The ball continued to bounce, however, with no one wanting to assume responsibility overtly for the United States Government action; and it was reported on 27 December 1960, for example, that in a meeting with Thomas Hann, the Assistant Secretary of State for American Republic Affairs, concerning the sugges- tion that State sign the agreement with the Guatemalan Ambassador: Mann was extremely hesitant to agree to any signature by a representative of the State Department to a document. After considerable discussion, however, he did agree to the possibility of having a Memo- randum for the Record prepared (suggested draft attached) which could be signed by the Guatemalan Ambassador as an accurate statement of the understanding reached between the Government of Guatemala and the United States. The Department then could refer this signed memorandum to the Department of Defense for appropriate action. 73/ This, in fact, was the method that was finally evolved to solve the problem; and on 29 December 1960, Carlos