741.53/135: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State

6993. On receiving your 6116 on October 4 I communicated its contents both to the Prime Minister and to Mr. Eden. On October 8 I received your 6235 and replied immediately on its decoding in my 6856, October 8, 12 midnight.81 You in turn replied in your 6268, October 982 but followed it up with your 6308, October 9.83

Since then I have talked several times with the Prime Minister, Mr. Eden, Sir Alexander Cadogan84 and Mr. Roberts85 of the Foreign [Page 552] Office who sat in with Ambassador Campbell during the negotiations with Salazar. The outcome of these conversations which contains our combined judgment is embodied in the directive given below forwarded by the Foreign Office today to Ambassador Campbell and repeated to Washington. I hope you will approve of my action and the approach therein suggested. The text below is a direct quotation of the message referred to. It reestablishes the position taken by the Department in its 6116 October 4, 2 p.m. You might want to send a further explanatory to our Chargé d’Affaires in Lisbon.

Begin directive:

“In view of original American decision reported in Washington telegram No. 444986 to communicate United States assurances if and only if requested to do so by Dr. Salazar, it was felt, after discussion with United States Ambassador here, that we should acquiesce in this decision and that we should ourselves make such use as we could of the United States assurances when the time comes to approach Dr. Salazar with a view to extending our facilities. (Further instructions on this will follow in due course.)

2.
Later United States decision to communicate assurances without further delay, although unexpected, was not unwelcome to us, and we were then prepared to let matters take their course. United States Ambassador, however, in view of earlier conversations referred to above himself advised delay. Hence the countermanding instructions to United States Chargé d’Affaires reported in paragraph 2 of your telegram No. 2062.
3.
We have now advised United States Ambassador that in view (a) of our communication about United States assurances made to Dr. Salazar last June, and (b) of action already taken by United States Chargé d’Affaires with both Dr. Salazar and Dr. Leitao, it might only arouse suspicion and prejudice the atmosphere for our further conversations if United States assurances are delayed any longer.
4.
I understand that United States Ambassador agrees, but he has suggested that in order to explain the circumstances of United States Chargé d’Affaires’ approach, the line should be taken with Dr. Salazar that, having regard to the Portuguese desire to maintain neutrality and to avoid unnecessary provocation to Germany, the United States Government on reflection thought that it might only embarrass him to receive the United States assurances just before public announcement of the Azores Agreement. United States Government were however ready to communicate these assurances now or at such time as Dr. Salazar considered most appropriate.
5.
Although actual communication on above lines must of course be left to United States Chargé d’Affaires, you might, after explaining the situation to him, also explain it to the Portuguese Government.
6.
You should inform your United States colleague of above, but no action should be taken by you or by him pending receipt of further instructions from Washington.”

End directive.

Winant
  1. Latter not printed; Ambassador Winant stated he believed it was in the interest of the United States to postpone assuring Salazar of American respect for sovereignty of Portuguese colonies (741.53/126).
  2. Not printed (741.53/126); it reported that instructions had been sent to the ChargS in Portugal simultaneously with the dispatch of Department’s telegram No. 6235, October 8, to London, p. 550.
  3. Not printed; it reported that the Chargé in Portugal had been instructed to take no further action pending new instructions from the Department (741.53/130c).
  4. Permanent Under Secretary of State in the British Foreign Office.
  5. Frank K. Roberts, Acting Head of the Central Department of the British Foreign Office.
  6. See telegram No. 6116, October 4, to London, p. 547.