837.00/12–944
The Ambassador in Cuba (Braden) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 13.]
Sir: I have the honor to inform the Department that on December 1, 1944 I discussed with President Grau certain pending matters which the Embassy has outstanding with the Cuban Government. I left with him a list of these pending matters, a copy of which is enclosed for the information of the Department.59 I pointed out to the President that many of these subjects had been discussed in the course of a conversation which Ambassador Armour60 and I had with him at the Blair House on September 2, 1944. I also informed him that I had mentioned the subjects to Prime Minister Lancis and Minister of State Cuervo Rubio on November 3, 1944.
With respect to claims of United States nationals, the lend lease account, and the account for the repatriation of Cuban nationals, I have stressed to these various Cuban Government officials the importance of taking some action in the near future, looking toward a settlement of these accounts. All have been in general agreement that such steps should be taken, but I regret to say that up to the present time nothing tangible has been done. I discussed this subject with the Minister of Finance, Dr. Manuel Fernández Supervielle, on December 6, 1944. He was in full agreement that the amounts owed the United States Government should be paid promptly and he has promised to take active steps in that direction. With regard to the claims of United States nationals, however, he said he is of the definite [Page 917] opinion that all claims of private entities should be handled on the same basis and that no preference should be given to any specific company or individual. He said that the President would shortly send a message to Congress Asking for the establishment of the Tribunal of Accounts; as soon as this Tribunal has been established it will, in accordance with the pertinent provisions of the Cuban Constitution, proceed to ascertain the amount of Cuba’s floating debt, which the Minister estimates at from 80 to 90 million pesos. Once this has been done and the Tribunal has submitted its report to the President, Dr. Grau will, the Minister said, ask Congress to adopt the necessary legislation for the settlement of the floating debt. Therefore, it appears that there is no prospect of the United States nationals collecting, at the present time, those claims which have become part of the floating debt.
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Respectfully yours,