800.6363/710: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile (Bowers)
629. Your 852, May 3046 and your 865, June 1, 3 p.m. While the facts regarding the distribution of petroleum products from Talara are as stated in the Department’s 556, May 20, 6 p.m.,46 the Department questions the desirability of the publication in Chile of a statement emanating from the American Embassy on this subject. As you are no doubt aware, both the allocation among the American republics of available petroleum products and the means for transporting these products are currently being handled through cooperative arrangements in which all of the American republics participate. The needs of the war effort have resulted in the removal of large numbers of tankers under the control of the United Nations from their ordinary routes. However, the remaining resources, particularly of transportation, are being allocated among the different countries in accordance with their civilian needs. There is no ground whatever for the thought that Chile is being in any way discriminated against. Possibly the Chilean Representative on the oil supply pool Committee in Santiago might issue an authoritative statement which would serve the purposes that you have in mind.