837.6363/571
The Ambassador in Cuba (Braden) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 20.]
Sir: Supplementing previous correspondence on this subject, I have the honor to report that ORPA Resolution No. 218, dated May 10, 1944, promulgated in Official Gazette No. 265 of May 13, 1944, establishes a national petroleum pool.
The Pool is to be known as the “Petroleum Supply Committee for Cuba” and is to be composed of representatives of the Standard Oil Company of Cuba, the Sinclair Cuba Oil Company, S. A., the Compañía Petrolera Shell-Mex de Cuba, S. A., The Texas Company, W. I. Limited, and the Compañía Cubana de Petróleo, S. A.
The Resolution ratifies the establishment in May of 1942 of the Petroleum Supply Committee, composed at that time and until the present Resolution was promulgated, of all of the companies mentioned, with the exception of the Compañía Cubana de Petróleo, S. A. One of the provisions of the Resolution provides for the inclusion henceforth, of the Compañía Cubana de Petróleo, S. A., in the Committee.
[Page 968]The Resolution postulates the qualitative participation of each of the companies in the market upon the products imported by them in bulk during 1941, and quantitatively by extrapolation of sales data, likewise using the year 1941 as a basis.
The duties and functions of the Committee as outlined in the Resolution are mainly concerned with putting into effect ORPA’s allotments of quotas of petroleum products among the various consumers, arranging the participation of each of the pool members in supplying these quotas, compiling of statistical data, and all other related activities concerned with the establishment and maintenance of the common fund or pool, of bulk petroleum products supplied to Cuba.
The Embassy will promptly report to the Department all significant developments with reference to the application and enforcement of the Resolution.
There are attached a copy and translation of Resolution No. 218.80
Respectfully yours,
Commercial Attaché
- Not printed.↩