832.796/8–2846
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Brazil ( Daniels )
No. 281
Sir: Reference is made to the Embassy’s despatch no. 162 dated July 5, 1946 transmitting for this Government’s consideration a proposed Memorandum of Agreement providing for the establishment of an American civil aviation technical mission in Brazil.
While the Department, as well as the Department of Commerce, is eager to conclude a formal agreement with Brazil for a civil aviation mission, and appreciates the Embassy’s recommendation in the premises, a study of the draft Agreement submitted by the Brazilian authorities leads to the conclusion that the Brazilian Government’s offer of cooperation is so limited as to give rise to apprehension as to their interest in the whole program. This Government’s policy presupposes a minimum of cooperation and sharing of financial burdens by the recipient country in connection with the operation of civil aviation missions abroad. Since it appears that Brazil’s offer of cooperation is very restricted it would not be in accord with our policy in such matters, as outlined to the Bureau of the Budget and to Congress in connection with the appropriation of funds, to sign the Agreement in the form proposed.
There are accordingly listed below certain suggested changes to the Agreement which the Department, in concurrence with the Secretary of Commerce, deems it desirable to make in the draft Memorandum of Agreement.
[Here follows list of proposed changes.]
The Department feels that every effort should be made to have the foregoing changes made in the Memorandum of Agreement.93 In the event that these modifications are secured the Embassy should forward the text of the final draft of the Agreement to the Department for clearance in Washington after which appropriate instructions will be issued regarding the exchange of notes to put the Agreement into effect.
In the event that the foregoing changes cannot be secured or that it appears to the Embassy that the conclusion of an agreement would be considerably delayed in obtaining the Brazilian Government’s reaction to our proposals, the Department would appreciate receiving the Embassy’s views as to whether a temporary aviation mission should be sent to Brazil without the conclusion of an agreement. Such a mission [Page 485] would, of course, be sent to Brazil only upon receipt of the latter’s official request therefor. Such request should necessarily embody the substance of the proposals advanced by the Brazilians for the governance of a regular civil aviation mission. In the event that the Embassy believes that it would be advantageous to adopt the latter procedure, the Department of Commerce is prepared to send a three-man temporary civil aviation mission to Brazil at an early date.
Very truly yours,
- Despatch 1373, January 6, 1947, from Rio De Janeiro, indicated that the Brazilian Air Minister, Trompowski, had no objections to the suggested changes (832.796/1–647). No final agreement, however, was reached in 1947.↩