611.3531/978: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Argentina (Armour)

152. Your despatch no. 104 of September 5, 1939.28 It is strongly desired that the issuance of a supplemental public announcement here be avoided since any delay caused thereby in the completion of public hearings and the consideration of views presented at such hearings would greatly enhance the difficulty of concluding the agreement within the necessary time limit. You should therefore endeavor to discourage any requests by the Argentine Government for concessions on products not included in the list published with the public announcement of August 23. In this connection the rule of principal or important supplier generally followed by this Government in granting concessions in trade agreements should be borne in mind and, if advisable, again called to the attention of the Argentine officials. In the light of our studies, it is difficult to see what additional products of any real importance in Argentina’s trade with the United States and of which Argentina is the principal or an important supplier to the United States, the Argentine officials could have in mind.

It should be pointed out that this Government would have to consider any additional requests for concessions in the light of the above-mentioned supplier rule and that in any event it could not consider granting a concession to Argentina on any product not published with the public announcement of August 23 unless a supplemental public [Page 260] announcement were made and opportunity given to all interested persons to present their views regarding such product.

The impracticability of issuing a supplemental announcement was discussed in a conversation with Ambassador Espil on August 16, a memorandum of which was sent you with the Department’s instruction no. 55 of August 30.29

Hull
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