811.24537/9–2445
The Cuban Ambassador ( Belt ) to the Acting Secretary of State
Excellency: In the Military Cooperation Agreement signed June 19, 1942, in behalf of the President of the Republic of Cuba by the Minister of State Dr. José Manuel Cortina and in behalf of the President of the United States of America by Ambassador Spruille Braden, the Governments of Cuba and the United States agreed upon the [Page 910] establishment of an Air Base or Unit at San Antonio de los Baños, Province of Habana, Cuba.
Furthermore, by notes exchanged between the Minister of State of Cuba and the Ambassador of the United States of America in July 1942,20 the above-mentioned Governments agreed upon the establishment of another Air Base at San Julián, Province of Pinar del Rio, Cuba, and, by notes exchanged in August 1942,21 construction work was authorized at the Camagüey Airport.
Both in the Military Cooperation Agreement and in those which resulted from notes exchanged by the representatives of the two Governments, it was stipulated that they should be in force for the duration of the war and for six months subsequent to the establishment of peace between the United States and the Axis powers.
In view of the fact that the war against the Axis powers terminated on the 2d of the present month of September and the reestablishment of peace has happily come to pass, my Government hopes that Your Excellency’s Government will make the necessary arrangements in order that within six months beginning the 2d of the current month, that is, not later than March 2, 1946, there may be turned over to it the San Antonio and San Julian bases, as well as the structures built at the Camaguey airport.
My Government is very happy to have been able to contribute to the war effort with the facilities given to Your Excellency’s Government for the establishment of the above-mentioned bases, which served in large part for the protection of the Western Hemisphere and naturally for that of the territory of Cuba.
I avail myself [etc.]
- Cuban notes of July 17 and 19, 1942, and U.S. note of July 20, 1942, not printed, but see telegram 456, July 10, 1942, 6 p.m., to Habana and telegrams 584, July 17, 10 p.m., and 588, July 19, 10 p.m., from Habana, Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. vi, pp. 277, 278, and 279, respectively.↩
- American Embassy note of August 26, 1942, and Cuban note of September 12, 1942, not printed, but see airgram A–97, August 24, 1942, to Habana, and footnote 40, ibid., pp. 281–282.↩