611.3531/891: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of
State to the Ambassador in Argentina (Armour)
Washington, August 19,
1939—10 p.m.
131. Your 132, August 12, 1 p.m.18 You should transmit the following communication
immediately to the Argentine authorities:
- “1. The careful, sympathetic and prompt consideration
which has been given to the proposals of the Government of
the United States is deeply appreciated, and the apparent
agreement between the two Governments
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as to the general basis for
the negotiation of a trade agreement is a source of
gratification.
- 2. With reference to the application of the proposed
method of quantitative control by commodities, the informal
translation of the Argentine Government’s remarks in regard
to this matter might be taken to imply that the percentual
share of the United States in a given quota might be
determined or changed without reference to a representative
base period, whereas the proposal of the Government of the
United States contemplates that the regulation of imports
would be effected ordinarily, in the case of any product,
through a change in the total permitted imports from all
sources, the percentual share of the United States normally
remaining unchanged. The proposal of the Government of the
United States also contemplates, however, the possibility of
change in a base period, which might result in a change in
the percentual share of the United States in the total
permitted imports of a particular product, if the trend of
the trade or other factors should indicate that the base
period originally chosen is no longer truly representative.
With reference to the concessions to be included in the
proposed agreement, it is understood of course that specific
concessions, including the amount of reduction in duties,
cannot be determined in advance of negotiations and prior to
public notice and hearings in the United States. The
Government of the United States considers that on this
understanding the interchange of views between the two
Governments affords sufficient prospect that if negotiations
were undertaken they could be brought to a mutually
satisfactory conclusion. Accordingly, the Government of the
United States is prepared to issue public notice of
intention to conclude a reciprocal trade agreement with the
Government of Argentina.
- 3. If agreeable to the Government of Argentina, the public
notice will, subject to confirmation, be issued on August
23. The time allowed for written briefs will be 4 weeks, and
public hearings will begin on October 9. Shortly thereafter,
definitive negotiations in regard to specific tariff
concessions can begin. Meanwhile, work on the general
provisions of the agreement could proceed.
- 4. The Government of the United States would be gratified
if the negotiations could take place in Washington and if an
Argentine delegation could arrive about the first of
October.”
If the Argentine officials should request an explanation of the first two
sentences of point 2 above, you should make use of the pertinent parts
of this Government’s memorandum of June 28, 1939.
Request no publicity pending public notice. In view of the time urgency,
it would be helpful if discussions of the general provisions could start
immediately. These could be carried on with the Argentine Embassy here.
It is desirable to avoid the arrival of a trade delegation before the
close of the period allowed for written briefs, probably September 23.
You might say that this would not apply of course to the early return of
Irigoyen, who could assist in the general provisions discussions.
