611.1231/297
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Harry R. Turkel of the Division of Commercial Policy and Agreements
| Participants: | Mexican Embassy: |
| Señor Dr. Don Luis Quintanilla, Minister Plenipotentiary | |
| Señor Don Armando C. Amador, Counselor | |
| Señor Don Justo Sierra, Second Secretary | |
| Department of State: | |
| Harry C. Hawkins, Chief, TA7 | |
| Herbert Bursley, RA8 | |
| Harry R. Turkel, TA |
At the request of Mr. Hawkins, the above-mentioned officers of the Mexican Embassy called at the Division of Commercial Policy and Agreements at 3 p.m. on December 24, 1941 for the purpose of receiving a list of products for consideration in preparing the list to be published at the time of formal announcement of intention to negotiate a trade agreement with Mexico. The proposal to hand the Mexicans such a list had been approved by Mr. Duggan9 the previous week and confirmed on the morning of the twenty-fourth.
Mr. Hawkins first explained that the procedure in negotiating a trade agreement required the formulation of a list of products on which the United States will consider granting concessions, such list to be published in connection with our formal notice. Articles not on the list could not be considered for concessions.
The Mexicans stated that they had no analogous procedure with respect to articles upon which Mexico might grant concessions.
Mr. Hawkins stated that the list must be regarded as confidential until formal announcement had been made to the public. The Mexicans stated that they would be glad to arrange for simultaneous press releases at the time of announcement.
In response to Mr. Hawkins’ inquiry as to where the Mexicans would prefer that the negotiations would be held, the Mexicans stated that Licenciado Primo Villa Michel, formerly Minister of Industry [Page 490] and Minister to London and Japan, would arrive in Washington for the purpose of carrying on these negotiations.
After the Mexicans had examined the list, Mr. Hawkins stated that in all probability a proclamation would shortly be issued allocating the petroleum quota on the same basis as last year, but with the provision that such allocations were to continue through the calendar year 1942 unless modified by a subsequent proclamation. This leaves the way open for any action which may be decided upon in the course of the negotiations with Mexico.
The Mexican officials noted that copper was not on the list and, accordingly, Mr. Hawkins explained the general rule that concessions were made to the other country on articles of which it is the primary or a leading supplier. He indicated that Mexico would get the benefit of any reduction in duty which might be made in future trade agreements with Chile and Peru, which are more important suppliers of this commodity.
Mr. Hawkins handed the Mexicans two copies of the latest standard general provisions,10 with the indication that they would probably have to be modified in the light of special conditions prevailing in Mexico.
- Division of Commercial Policy and Agreements.↩
- Division of the American Republics.↩
- Laurence Duggan, Adviser on Political Relations.↩
- Not printed. For text of original standard general provisions, see Foreign Relations, 1935, vol. i, p. 541; minor changes in these standard provisions were made from time to time.↩