837.24/1108: Airgram
The Ambassador in Cuba (Braden) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 27—12:30 p.m.]
A–356.…
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
With reference to my telephone conversation February 22nd with Bonsal,89 I hope Department will be able to impress Export-Import Bank with importance of leaving Comisión de Fomento Nacional free to lend some of its equipment to Cuban Army and Navy for Cuban defense projects, as contemplated restriction on use of important construction equipment in time of war hardly appears warranted or feasible of execution. López Castro has pointed out that we might be the ones wishing to borrow some of this equipment for use on our military and naval projects in Cuba and that Cuban Government would naturally wish to accede to such a request but could not very well do so if Comisión were prevented from lending equipment for Cuban defense projects.
- Philip W. Bonsai, Chief of the Division of the American Republics.↩