Office of the Historian

811.20 Defense (M) Portugal/1529: Telegram

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

London, June 3, 1944—7 p.m.
[Received June 3—5 p.m.]

4468. Roberts of Foreign Office this morning gave Embassy details of Campbell’s talk with Salazar on night of June 1 and British answer to Salazar’s proposals which Campbell has been instructed to give (reference Lisbon 1688, June 2, 4 p.m. to Department). Accordance [Page 126] to Roberts, British Embassy in Washington has been informed and instructed to pass on information to Department.

The impression was received from Roberts that the Supply Purchase Agreement mentioned by Lisbon had been agreed to in connection with the Azores Agreement but had not yet been fully implemented and that it was the complete implementation of this previous agreement that Salazar desired. He also, according to Roberts, demanded that the list of commodities to be supplied under the Azores Agreement, and not yet communicated, be forthcoming and that definite arrangements be made for adequate shipping to carry the commodities in question.

British reply briefly summarized by Roberts as follows:

(1)
British deeply appreciate Salazar’s offer of complete shutdown of wolfram mines
(2)
while sympathetic to Portuguese desire for full implementation of previous economic agreements, this is a matter which is up to the Combined Boards and is thus an American as well as a British responsibility
(3)
in view of fact that Germany has already received from Portugal since March 1 approximately 400 tons of wolfram and because of pressure from Parliament and public opinion, British Government would find it extremely difficult to justify delivery to Germany of the 100 tons under last year’s agreement
(4)
if all mines are closed down and the 100 tons is not delivered, British will do all in their power to expedite implementation of economic arrangements desired and believe that United States Government would do likewise
(5)
in view of meeting of Parliament next week and fact that some statement will have to be made, Salazar is urged to give immediate consideration to problem of meeting British desires and if he feels he cannot do it may be necessary to make a statement of a serious nature in Parliament when it reconvenes.

Roberts has requested the Embassy to stress to the Department the importance of doing everything possible to expedite action of Combined Boards on Portugal’s economic demands should Salazar meet our wishes. The British hope to have some definite news by Monday1 or Tuesday and have promised to keep Embassy informed.

Sent to Department, repeated to Lisbon as 110, June 3, 7 p.m.

Winant
  1. June 5.↩