811.34553B/10–744: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Portugal (Norweb)
2690. The Portuguese Chargé d’Affaires27 called yesterday afternoon by instruction from his Government and in conversation with Culbertson and George28 stated that Salazar’s proposals had been received pessimistically by you and that he was instructed to ascertain the atmosphere here. He said he had looked over the proposals and found them reasonable.
The Chargé d’Affaires was told that the proposals could not even be considered while the Santa Maria project remained suspended. This Government was unable to agree to any of the proposals without careful time-consuming study. Meanwhile we were asked to mark time in Santa Maria. Dr. Garin said we surely had to expect such proposals and could not expect a gratuitous use of Santa Maria. Culbertson replied that no mention had ever before been made in the long drawn out conversations of any such conditions as were now put forward. Salazar had expressed interest in the war in the Pacific and a wish to participate in some way for recovering Timor. To gratify him we had undertaken the present staff conversations. Salazar had also been interested in a new supply purchase agreement, and again to accommodate him this Government had been at great pains to secure all the necessary concurrences in supply agencies and combined boards. This had been accomplished rapidly and thoroughly [Page 79] and not without sacrifice. Throughout the whole war period this Government had generously supported Portuguese economy. Dr. Salazar had been told repeatedly that Portugal’s greatest possible contribution toward prosecuting the war in the Pacific and toward recovering Timor would be the granting of our desires in Santa Maria. Thus that project was one equally of interest to Portugal as to the United States. We had been allowed to land construction personnel and large quantities of critical materials and had been given at least Salazar’s implied approval of the entire project, but we were now asked to suspend action while examining the long catalogue of detailed proposals never before mentioned. This was not cooperation but was obstruction, and was in fact aid to Japan. Unless Salazar should immediately reconsider and authorize the whole Santa Maria project once and for all we should have to consider abandonment of the project, in which case Culbertson said he would be wanting in frankness if he attempted to conceal that we should be headed for very stormy weather.
Dr. Garin mentioned the possibility of sending George to Lisbon in connection with the proposals, and was told that it would be useless to send anyone. Only Dr. Salazar could alter the present situation, by immediately permitting us to go rapidly ahead in Santa Maria. This Government was prepared, Mr. Culbertson said, as always heretofore, to consider sympathetically any proposals the Portuguese Government might care to advance, but was unable to commit itself offhand to a long list of miscellaneous demands in the strategic, political, and economic fields without consultation, with other agencies and, in some instances, with its Allies. The Portuguese Government must understand that any restoration of Timor to Portugal would be as direct result of American arms, and if the Portuguese Government really had an interest in recovering Timor and in playing a part therein, it should cease haggling over Santa Maria.