811.20 Defense (M) Bolivia/83: Telegram
The Chargé in Bolivia (Dawson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:27 p.m.]
121. My 31, January 22, 3 p.m. Hochschild representatives and Banco Minero inform me that they are willing to accept antimony price offers of $1.84 to $2.21 per short unit f.o.b. Chilean ports which they say Metals Reserve has made but that Bolivian Government in Cabinet session 2 days ago instructed Banco Minero not to accept in the hope that refusal would result in Metals Reserve’s eventually agreeing to higher prices originally requested by Hochschild and Banco Minero. Conversation with Minister of Economy confirms this in general terms.
[Page 542]From what can be gathered here … antimony shippers are satisfied with terms suggested.
I trust that Metals Reserve will be adamant in negotiations and inform Bolivian Legation in Washington that antimony ceiling will be adopted if negotiations are not promptly concluded. Furthermore, extending copper prices agreed upon with Chile to Bolivian production should not be considered in my opinion unless satisfactory antimony contract is first signed.
It would be helpful if the Legation could be kept advised in general, of course, of antimony negotiations instead of having to depend upon partial and perhaps inaccurate reports from Bolivian sources. It may be that Bridgman58 has written fully to Inslee but latter is out of town.
- G. Temple Bridgman, Executive Vice President of the Metals Reserve Company.↩