853.79681/89: Telegram
The Minister in Portugal (Fish) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:30 p.m.]
975. Since Algiers 735, April 28, noon [midnight], from Murphy was addressed to Department I shall leave it to Department to enlighten him as to steps already taken toward utilization of land air base in Azores. A permit for Aero-Portuguesa to operate to Casablanca would scarcely be a quid pro quo for use of the Azores airports even if the Portuguese Government were keenly interested in the Aero-Portuguesa entering North Africa. Actually the Portuguese Government has no particular interest in this. It is this Legation which has fostered the project in the hope that we could thereby obtain at least one regular channel of access from Portugal to North Africa not subject to Spanish control.
The best thing the air command could do to expedite action concerning the Azores facilities would be to stir up interest in this matter in London and thus to stimulate British support for the steps already taken.
Repeated to Algiers.