Office of the Historian

800.6363/1211: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Argentina (Armour)

Washington, June 23, 1943—midnight.

922. Personal for the Ambassador from the Under Secretary. Your 1369 June 18, 5 p.m. The Argentine petroleum proposal outlined in your 1165, June 2, 6 p.m., is unfortunately one which cannot be approved since (1) it would give Argentina far more favorable treatment than that extended to countries which have cooperated thoroughly with us and (2) it would divert critical material from the war effort without any comparable quid pro quo. In a separate telegram,43 you are being informed of the lines along which the Department feels that an equitable petroleum arrangement can be reached.

For your own information, I may say that we consider it desirable to delay action for 2 months or so in order to await developments in both Argentina and Brazil. [Welles.]

Hull
  1. Infra.↩