811.20 (D) Regulations/4564: Telegram
The Ambassador in Spain (Weddell) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 16—8:03 a.m.]
831. Your 492, September 10, 6 p.m. CAMPSA contends that the new gasoline restrictions are in effect an actual embargo against the supplying of gasoline to Spain as all gasoline known to them suited to [Page 915] general transportation uses are included within the restrictions imposed. They have informed Minister of Industry and Commerce to this effect. As the Department under navicert arrangements, CAMPSA established a quarterly quota of 75,000 tons of gasoline from the United States. It would be helpful to the Embassy in its talks with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to be informed whether quantities and qualities of gasoline permitted to be exported can be acquired by CAMPSA at port to which its tankers have access.
Effort to bring about an improvement in Spanish-American commercial relations would be seriously affected if Spain is denied access to a reasonable quantity of American gasoline.