611.5231/728: Telegram
The Chargé in Spain (Wiley) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:32 p.m.]
58. Your 46, June 28, 5 p.m. I saw Calderon last night; he denied knowledge of alleged statement which he will investigate but asserted categorically that nonreceipt of amplified list did not constitute any obstacle. He insisted on holding forth on trade complaints and declared that there had been no progress at all in Washington for which reason the Ministry of Agriculture had vetoed list submitted on April 23. Calderon made it entirely clear that while Spanish Government had agreed that negotiations might be separate it did not regard them as divorced. He referred with marked absence of enthusiasm to recent American proposal to send experts to examine a certain grape area which would involve considerable delay. As for cork markings Calderon volunteered the information that the question was of no particular interest as the necessary machinery had been installed at considerable expense. Continuing he employed all the arguments with which the Department is familiar. I replied appropriately impressing upon him that I had come with a specific inquiry and could not discuss the Spanish trade complaints which [Page 555] were being exclusively dealt with in Washington. He then proposed acquainting me privately with the status of these complaints. I declined.
The inference I drew from Calderon’s remarks was that the Ministry of Agriculture and the grape interests dominate the situation and that there is now small hope of any progress on present basis.
If the Department is not disposed at this juncture to adopt more energetic measures would it not be well to explore the possibilities of Calderon’s suggestion (vide mail instruction 285 of May 1425) for a provisional agreement? If without sacrifice of principles we could obtain some sort of satisfactory modus vivendi, the chances are that it could be prolonged perhaps indefinitely. Then in the course of time various questions at issue might be conveniently disposed of or might even solve themselves.
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