811.20 Defense (M) Bolivia/1254: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Bolivia (Boal)
1170. Department’s 1169.93 The Department feels that the terms now being offered by OEW to the Bolivian Government and the two quinine factories for anti-malarial products are generous and should be acceptable. The proposed agreement with the Bolivian Government would provide that the United States would have the exclusive right to receive exports of bark and anti-malarials. It appears, however, that considerable supplies of the latter may be lost by exportation to other countries before the agreement is concluded. You are requested, therefore, to endeavor to have the appropriate Bolivian authorities take action to suspend exports of quinine, quinine sulphate, and totaquina pending conclusion of agreement. There would be no objection on our part to having the language of any decree or other measure all-inclusive instead of being restricted to other countries if this would facilitate taking of the action desired. In presenting the matter to the Bolivian authorities, you should stress the fact that quinine products received in this country are used solely in direct connection with the war effort and are allocated to the military forces of the United Nations, whereas exports from Bolivia to other countries would be diverted to supplying civilian populations for which quinine substitutes are being made available. Any such exports thus adversely affect the conduct of the war.
- Not printed; this telegram, dated September 20, requested export restrictions on cinchona bark and anti-malarials and authorized inland collection stations.↩