611.3531/507: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Argentina ( Weddell )
83. Your telegram no. 158, August 26, 6 p.m. For your strictly confidential personal information the outlook is as follows: if deliberations now in progress (partly owing to your telegram) result in an affirmative decision by policy-making officials it will be possible to announce trade agreement negotiations with Argentina within the very near future.
You will understand that although the future course of the trade agreement program is now receiving consideration, matters have not yet reached a stage permitting the Department to give a definite commitment on opening of negotiations. You may properly say, however, that a fresh study is being made of the possibility of an Argentine agreement and that there is every indication that this study will be completed shortly, perhaps within a week or 10 days. Pending a decision, it would be highly desirable of course if this Government could proceed on the assumption that the arrangement suggested by the Under Secretary of Finance could be considered a firm offer. In this connection, you should impress upon him and other responsible officials that such an arrangement would undoubtedly create a most favorable impression in the United States. You could usefully repeat the argument that the Department has been under considerable pressure from interests in the United States as a result of continuance in the face of present trade trends of exchange discrimination against them in Argentina. Correction of this situation might assist materially in forming a body of opinion in this country sufficiently influential to offset the pressure which is certain to be exerted against the agreement by various agricultural groups.