811.34553B/99a: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
1607. A copy of an instruction of December 10 to the British Ambassador in Lisbon was furnished Norweb some time ago. A feature of this instruction apparently called upon Campbell to inform Salazar that it is the British desire that negotiations for a second airfield in the Azores be conducted directly between the Portuguese and U.S. Governments. It appears that Campbell may not have made this point transparently clear to Salazar in his conversations on the subject, and the Department is urgently desirous of engaging in such direct negotiations at the earliest possible moment. It is thought therefore that you should discuss the matter with the British Government, urging the desirability of having Campbell proceed without further delay to clarifying this point beyond any doubt in Salazar’s mind.
It would probably be useful to inquire at the same time whether Campbell will be asked to make reply to Salazar’s memorandum of January 20 to Campbell44 This memorandum will be recalled as a particularly strong one in which Salazar complained rather bitterly concerning certain phases of the Azores developments. However, [Page 17] what we are mainly interested in at this time is the early and clear statement to Salazar of the expressed British wish that negotiations for the second field be conducted directly between us and Salazar. The Department believes that this clarification should be effected formally and in writing.
- Copy transmitted to Department by the Ambassador in Portugal in his despatch 154, January 26; neither printed.↩