File No. 652.119/139a
The Secretary of State to the Spanish Ambassador ( Riaño)
My Dear Mr. Ambassador: Referring to your further oral inquiry regarding the policy of this Government in the matter of allowing the exportation of petroleum, I regret to say that the Department is advised by the Exports Administrative Board that it is unwilling at the present time to permit the exportation of petroleum to Spain. The whole situation regarding exports of petroleum is under investigation but at the present time it is felt that there is no means whatsoever of ascertaining the destination of the petroleum and the uses to which it is to be applied. The board further states that in view of the submarine situation these exports can not be allowed until more data and more accurate means of following up the consignments are made available.
I am [etc.]