811.34553B/10–644: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Portugal (Norweb)
2678. The Department desires you to convey to Dr. Salazar without delay the substance of the following message which, for your information, has been cleared with the President:
“The Portuguese Government has expressed its desire to participate in an eventual expedition for the liberation of Timor, and in order to gratify that desire this Government has engaged in certain staff conversations which are now in progress in Lisbon. This Government has pointed out, however, that the greatest contribution Portugal can make toward the prosecution of the war in the Pacific, including the liberation of Timor, is to make available to the United States the facilities it requires in the Island of Santa Maria. This view has been confirmed by the Combined British and American Chiefs of Staff.
“The urgency of this Government’s requirements in the Island of Santa Maria has been emphasized over and over again, and the Portuguese Government has professed to understand this urgency. On July 19 [18] the President of the United States addressed a personal message to the Prime Minister of Portugal concerning our desire for the construction of a large airfield on the Island of Santa Maria to be used by the United States in connection with operations in the Pacific theatre. This message was delivered to the Prime Minister by Mr. Paul Culbertson, Chief of the Division of Western European Affairs [Page 77] of the Department of State. The Prime Minister replied in a personal message to the President dated July 27, from which the following passages are quoted:
‘Your Excellency can be certain that I have never ceased to have in mind the importance which the plan possesses for the mutual interests of our two countries. Similarly I have not forgotten the interest shown by the Government of the United States in commencing the work as soon as possible.
‘It appears to me that the fundamental accord with the construction company has been satisfactorily made so that the work can commence immediately and continue at the rate considered proper. Thus is realized the first and essential condition for all the future developments.
‘I have exerted my best efforts in the study of the matter to the end that it should not suffer delays and that it should enjoy all possible facilities on our part, as was Your Excellency’s desire and also mine.’
“In the course of the conversations which followed the delivery of the President’s message, the Prime Minister stated repeatedly that there was no objection whatever to the immediate despatch of all necessary materials and personnel to Santa Maria for the projected construction. It was clearly implied that the Prime Minister was in agreement that the construction itself should go forward without delay, for otherwise there obviously could be no point to diverting personnel and critical materials to Santa Maria.
“This Government is surprised and disappointed now to learn of the hesitancy of the Portuguese Government to make available to the United States, the necessary lands and to issue the necessary authority to permit the whole construction of the major air base to go forward. Viewed in a practical light, it can only interpret this hesitancy as a lack of complete cooperation. The present attitude of the Portuguese Government clearly does not harmonize with the previously expressed desire of the Portuguese Government to be of aid in the prosecution of the war in the Pacific. It is, in fact, a very grave obstruction to the prosecution of the war in the Pacific, and constitutes an important aid to Japan. In the circumstances, unless the Portuguese Government can see its way clear immediately to authorize all necessary land expropriations and issue all necessary authority to its officials in the Island of Santa Maria to permit the United States to continue and bring rapidly to completion the proposed construction and to operate and control the proposed airbase for military transport and ferrying purposes, the United States Government would be obliged to discontinue the staff conversations at once, and to decline to engage in any negotiations with Portugal concerning economic or other matters, and to adopt measures for the immediate curtailment of the economic aid currently being furnished Portugal under existing programs.”
In delivering this message you should make it clear that you are doing so under instructions from your Government. It is impossible at this distance to estimate the chances of accomplishing our purpose by an oral communication to Dr. Salazar, and the Department must leave this to your judgment. The Department inclines to the belief that a written communication may be more effective, but recognizes the fact that Dr. Salazar undoubtedly would prefer not to add such a communication to his files. This Government wishes to attain its [Page 78] purpose rapidly, and the feelings of the Portuguese Government are of secondary importance so long as our end is attained. You understand, and the Prime Minister will understand, that the Portuguese attitude forces this Government to state its case so frankly. It is not possible for this Government to suspend action while entertaining new and detailed proposals of the Portuguese Government which will require careful and time-consuming study. This Government on the other hand will gladly give its sympathetic attention to any proposals the Portuguese Government may wish to put forward following the prompt settlement, once and for all, of the Santa Maria problem.
In seeking this final settlement you will bear in mind the desirability of abandoning the Panair cloak.
Sent to Lisbon, repeated to London.26
- Repented to London on the same date as No. 8172.↩