811.34553B/11–1945

The Department of State to the British Embassy

Aide-Mémoire

In Mr. Byrnes’ aide-mémoire of November 7 [6], Mr. Bevin’s attention was drawn to the interest of the United States in acquiring long-term rights to operate military bases in the Azores and Cape [Page 212] Verde Islands, as a part of the United States Government’s post-war military base program. In that aide-mémoire Mr. Byrnes stated that the United States Government desires an assurance that the British Government will support and assist the Government of the United States in negotiations with Portugal looking to the acquisition of such rights. He added that he would inform the United Kingdom Government in detail in regard to the rights which the United States Government desires to obtain in those Portuguese islands.

The United States Joint Chiefs of Staff have now given Mr. Byrnes a statement of the rights which they desire the United States Government to obtain in the Azores and the Cape Verde Islands, which are described in the following paragraphs.

It should be pointed out that the United States Chiefs of Staff attach the highest importance to the acquisition by the United States of rights to operate on a long-term basis air and naval facilities in the Azores. The United States Government built and equipped, at its own expense, the airfields at Santa Maria and Lagens. The cost of the United States installations at Santa Maria was thirteen million dollars; at Lagens the United States expenditures were twelve and a half million dollars.

There are no existing United States installations in the Cape Verde Islands. It is doubtful if the United States Government will find it necessary to develop facilities in those Islands or to station military personnel there within the immediate future, except possibly a small party for a limited period of time to survey the Islands. The United States Chiefs of Staff have requested, however, that negotiations be undertaken with the Portuguese Government for rights to install and operate bases there at such sites as may from time to time be mutually agreed upon, if the United States Government decides that the construction of bases in the Cape Verde Islands is necessary.

As regards the Azores, the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff have requested that Mr. Byrnes negotiate an agreement with the Portuguese Government, giving the United States long-term rights jointly with the Republic of Portugal:

1.
To defend the Azores, and to establish, utilize and maintain military bases therein.
2.
To occupy, maintain, improve, operate and control military bases at
a.
Santa Maria (air base)
b.
Lagens, Terceira (air base)
c.
Such other sites as may be agreed upon with the Portuguese Government.
3.
To install, maintain, and operate at locations to be mutually agreed upon port and naval anchorage facilities and facilities for defense to include warning systems, weather reporting, communication, and aids to navigation.
4.
To operate military craft, including aircraft, vessels and vehicles into, through, over and away from the territory of the Azores without restriction except as mutually agreed.
5.
Such other facilities and privileges as may be mutually agreed upon in order to give the necessary implementation of the foregoing desired rights.

The United States Joint Chiefs of Staff point out that they consider that it is essential to have alternative airfields in the Azores; that weather studies show that both Santa Maria and Lagens airfields can be expected to be closed simultaneously only six percent of the time in the course of a year, and that these considerations necessitate United States rights on both airfields. The United States, therefore, has an immediate requirement for Santa Maria as a main air base and Lagens as a satellite airfield and naval air station, together with the use of the necessary port facilities and an anchorage area in the Islands.

The proposals which the United States Government contemplates making to the Portuguese Government envisage an agreement providing for joint United States-Portuguese operation of the bases, giving full recognition to the sovereignty and independence of Portugal. The proposals will provide for the possibility that, if and when Portugal becomes a member of the United Nations organization, Portugal may wish to make available to the Security Council on its call some or all of the military facilities resulting from the agreement between Portugal and the United States. Recognizing the importance of the Azores to trans-Atlantic commercial air service, the proposals which will be made to the Portuguese Government will provide that the use and facilities of the airfields may be extended to civil aviation on a most-favored-nation and non-discriminatory basis.

The rights in the Cape Verde Islands, which the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff have requested Mr. Byrnes to obtain, are in general similar to those described in the foregoing paragraphs in the Azores.

Mr. Byrnes wishes to point out that the United States Government feels that its proposed action in the Azores and the Cape Verde Islands will reinforce and strengthen the effectiveness of the United Nations Organization in maintaining peace. He repeats, that the United States’ proposals visualize that its proposed bases in these Islands will be made available to the Security Council on its call, if the Portuguese Government is agreeable to doing so. Thus, it is anticipated that in drafting the contemplated agreements for furnishing military facilities to the Security Council these and other United States bases, along with existing and projected bases of other member states, would be considered in determining the availability of bases for carrying out such enforcement measures as may be directed by the Security Council.

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The United States has not yet informed the Portuguese Government of its desire to institute negotiations for base rights in the Azores and Cape Verde Islands. Mr. Byrnes is anxious to approach the Portuguese Government on the subject at an early date. Mr. Byrnes hopes that the United Kingdom Government will take special precautions to prevent any information in regard to this matter reaching the Portuguese Government, pending an approach to that Government by the United States Government.