823.5018/1–3046
The Ambassador in Peru (Pawley) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
[Received January 31—12:12 a.m.]
118. Attention Assistant Secretary Braden.95 In conferences yesterday with Foreign Minister96 and today with Javier Correa, temporarily Acting Secretary General Foreign Office, both officials emphasized to me that Peru’s present wheat supply will be completely exhausted by end of February, and that their new government desperately afraid this will cause political crisis. They therefore urgently requested US Government make available to Peruvian Government direct and not through commercial houses 40,000 tons wheat, arrivals to begin without failure soonest possible in February.
I earnestly hope it may be possible to assist Peru this matter. Peruvian Government and important citizens resent all the help US affording Chile, which did not cooperate with US during war, whereas Peru was staunch supporter from very beginning.