711.52/440a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Spain (Hayes)
1193. Department’s 1153 of April 25. On assumption that agreement will be reached with Spaniards on wolfram, clarification in respect to the initial loading of petroleum products is necessary. The [Page 407] policy of the Department is to permit resumption of petroleum shipments on same basis in effect prior to suspension of petroleum shipments. However, shipments at even this rate will be reconsidered if Spain does not lift present restrictions on consumption once shipments arrive in Spain. It is not intended that inventories should be appreciably increased over present levels.
The following policy is for your guidance in releasing tankers for the initial loading date:
- 1.
- Bulk petroleum products shipments, exclusive of bulk luboils and aviation gasoline, are not to exceed 14,000 tons for any one loading date. See Department’s 27, January 4.22
- 2.
- Bulk luboils can be loaded up to 4100 tons or an average loading for the Campilo.
- 3.
- Bulk 87 octane aviation gasoline shall not exceed 320 tons, the monthly quota allowed in the aviation gasoline agreement.
- 4.
- Only one tanker loaded crude oil or gas oil at any one loading elate in 1943 for the Canary Islands. Consequently, permission to load crude oil or gas oil should be initially granted to only one of the CEPSA23 tankers Gerona, Gobeo, or Zaragoza.
The policy in respect to packaged petroleum products will be outlined in a subsequent cable.