Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, Europe, Volume IV

811.34553B/85: Telegram

Washington , February 29, 1944—10 p.m.

621. Your 553, February 22, 1 p.m.

(1): It cannot definitely be said that Lagens, with extensions, will adequately accommodate our European operations, and the Department does not believe this thought should be communicated to Salazar. It is rather the view of War and Navy that we may be obliged to limit ourselves to this for the moment.
(2): Similarly it cannot definitely be stated that it would adequately accommodate our Far Eastern operations as long as the war in Europe has not passed its zenith.
: Even supposing these assumptions to be correct, the Department feels it would be unfortunate to furnish any such thought to Salazar, whose inclination evidently is to assert that we have all we need at Lagens.
(3): War and Navy consider the conclusion in your paragraph 3 sound however, and it is felt that it should be sufficient to communicate this conclusion to Dr. Salazar without committing ourselves finally on matters referred to in your paragraphs 1 and 2.
(4): This seems likewise sound.
(5): While Dr. Salazar’s reasons for wishing to participate actively in an eventual Timor expedition itself are fully understood, War and Navy are agreed that a more substantial contribution to the war in the Pacific can be furnished by Portugal in providing us a site for the proposed additional air base.

Your 613 and 614 of February 2642 received after drafting of foregoing.

Stettinius