Office of the Historian

832.796/1032: Telegram

The Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery) to the Secretary of State

Rio de Janeiro, October 3, 1942—5 p.m.
[Received 11 p.m.]

3970. Department’s 2894, September 30, 11 p.m.88 As reported in my telegram 3841 of September 26, 5 p.m.,88 permission was officially granted for route Miami–Manáos. No contract between Defense Supplies Corporation and Brazilian Government for this service is necessary, and Defense Supplies Corporation may proceed to make contract with carrier.

[Page 720]

We are awaiting expected favorable action from Air Minister89 on routes Para–Iquitos and Manáos–Guajará Mirim. This will authorize Defense Supplies Corporation to contract with any Brazilian airline it desires for these routes. As in the case of the Manáos–Miami route no contract between the Defense Supplies Corporation and Brazilian Government is necessary.

As soon as the general agreement covering air transportation for the rubber program is approved (this will probably be delayed 1 week because of Air Minister’s absence in Buenos Aires), the Ministry for Air will name officials in Rio de Janeiro and Manáos to work out details with appropriate officials of Defense Supplies Corporation and Rubber Reserve in these cities, on the basis of the general agreement. By details, are meant specific approval for the construction of airports at mutually selected sites, et cetera.

The entire matter of the agreement covering air transportation activities for the rubber program has been carried out directly by the Ministry for Air, as a step implementing the rubber agreement signed in Washington March 3. Ministry for Air and Finance Ministry believe that an exchange of notes between you and the Foreign Office is unnecessary, and Embassy believes insistence on such a procedure might complicate and delay matters.

A copy and translation of the draft agreement which has been favorably reported by the Director of Civil Aviation90 (it is also agreeable to Bouças and the Minister of Finance), and is awaiting final sanction by the Minister for Air, is being forwarded by air mail today.91

Caffery
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. Not printed.↩
  3. Joaquim Pedro Salgado Filho.↩
  4. Adroaldo Junqueira Ayres.↩
  5. In despatch No. 8652, October 3, 1942, not printed.↩