611.3131/74: Telegram
The Chargé in Venezuela (Villard) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:50 p.m.]
4. Department’s telegram No. 57, December 31, 6 p.m.5
In a discussion of the proposed trade agreement today the Foreign Minister6 stated that in view of the removal by his Government of the [Page 747] discriminations against American commerce he hoped it would now be possible to proceed rapidly to the conclusion of such an agreement. He said that he had examined the text of various trade agreements entered into by the United States with foreign countries and was of the opinion that the general principles set forth therein formed a satisfactory basis for an agreement with Venezuela.
When I inquired as to the attitude of the Venezuelan Government with respect to the unconditional most-favored-nation clause the Minister replied that he would have no objection to the inclusion of such a clause in the case of a treaty with the United States. He urged that the provisions of the proposed agreement be made as brief and simple as possible and asked whether one of the existing trade agreements would be taken as a model or whether a special text would be drawn up for Venezuela. I shall await the Department’s further instructions before proceeding with discussions.
- Foreign Relations, 1936, vol. v, p. 963.↩
- Esteban Gil Borges.↩