Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, American Republics: Central and South America, Volume VII

357. Memorandum From the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Rubottom) to the Under Secretary of State (Hoover)¹

Washington, January 23, 1957.

SUBJECT

• Circular 175:² Army Communication Facility Agreement with Brazil.

On July 2 you authorized negotiations with Brazil to obtain military rights including a guided missile tracking station, an Army communications facility, three LORAN stations, and operating rights at three Brazilian airbases. A Guided Missile Station Agreement was concluded on January 21 pursuant to your authorization of December 22. Defense now desires to negotiate an agreement for the Army Communications Facility at Maceio and has requested the Department to negotiate the Agreement appearing in the attached telegram. The draft Agreement is identical with the Guided Missile Station Agreement except for the deletion of Article 6 and minor changes required to convert the agreement to one for an Army Communications Facility. Article 6 was deleted because it involves a commitment on the part of the United States to discuss with Brazil increased military responsibilities Brazil considers it has assumed by granting use of Brazilian territory. Since the commitment has been made in the Guided Missile Agreement, it should not be necessary to repeat it in this Agreement.

Recommendation:

That you sign the attached telegram authorizing Ambassador Briggs to negotiate for an Army Communications Facility.³

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 711.56322/1–2357. Confidential. Drafted by Sayre; concurred in by Brigadier General James K. Wilson, Jr. of Defense, Murphy, and Phleger.
2. Circular 175, December 13, 1955, concerned the proper exercise of the treaty and executive agreement-making power of the United States, as well as the approval of texts of treaties and the making of arrangements for signature. It is in a file retained by the Records Management and Regulations Division of the Bureau of Personnel, Department of State.
3. Hoover approved the draft telegram and it was transmitted to the Embassy on January 26 as telegram 622. It included a draft agreement for the proposed Maceio communication facility almost identical to the Guided Missiles Agreement. (Department of State, Central Files, 732.5–MSP/1–557)