811.34553B/7–1244: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Portugal (Norweb)
1994. Your 2149, July 12, 6 p.m.91 No further investigation or survey is contemplated by Panair or anyone else and it is understood this was made clear in Love’s time schedule of June 30, copy of which is understood to have been handed Salazar on July 7.
Owing to Salazar’s indecision execution of plan has now fallen behind Love’s deadline schedule. If you are unable to see Salazar as requested in Department’s 1941 of July 8 please submit to him at once the following questions in writing: [Page 50]
- (1)
- Are we authorized to proceed with construction on Santa Maria?
- (2)
- Will United States use and control be accorded after completion of construction?
Unless replies to these questions can be obtained within next 2 or 3 days entire project must be abandoned with the results we must expect and of which the Department has already given you some indication. It is no longer possible to wait for formal interchanges of documents or correspondence between Panair and Salazar as nothing further can go forward here without instant authority to proceed with construction. The Department has been forcefully given to understand by the War Department that it is literally a case of “Now or never”.
In putting these questions to the Prime Minister you may acquaint him with as much of the foregoing as you think necessary.
You should make clear to Salazar that the starting of this work now is of such importance to this Government at this critical time that unless approved at once we cannot escape the impression that the Portuguese Government is initiating a period of less than the fullest cooperation between our two countries.
- Not printed.↩