810.6363/193a: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Diplomatic Representatives in the American Republics Except Argentina, Chile, and Mexico
The Department, in consultation with other United Nations governments, is endeavoring to have most complete knowledge and maintain complete observation of the movements of petroleum products from and within this hemisphere. The operation of the petroleum supply pool for Latin America and the close contact maintained by this Department with its operations has proved to be an effective means of keeping the Department appropriately informed in so far as members of that pool operation are concerned. This does not apply, however, in the case of Argentina which is not a member of that pool and American oil suppliers are therefore being requested not to load oil products into any tanker under Argentine flag or charter nor to supply bunkers to any tanker or cargo vessel under Argentine flag or charter, at any port in the Western hemisphere outside the United States and its possessions, without the previous approval of this Department in each individual case. The company which contemplates loading a cargo or furnishing products except bunkers should request the Department’s approval by letter or telegram.
You will understand that bunkers also are not to be supplied without previous clearance but it is not necessary to refer each request for bunkers to the Department as such requests will continue to be cleared through bunker control officer as at present and nothing in these instructions is intended to alter the present bunker control procedure.
The several oil companies have been requested to transmit this intelligence to their interested branches, agencies and sub-agencies in this hemisphere.
[Page 382]It has further been suggested to the oil companies that as the Department’s approval might conceivably be withheld, it would be advisable for them to acquaint the Department with the facts concerning any contractual agreement which they might contemplate entering into which would call for those deliveries to Argentine vessels above described. The Department has also suggested to the companies that it would be interested in learning the details of any such contracts now in effect.