818.7962/10–2146
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Divisional Assistant of the Aviation Division (Cyr)
Subject: Costa Rican Ambassador’s note of October 21, 1946 concerning the problem of developing airfields and airfield facilities in Costa Rica.15
| Participants: | Señor Don Francisco de P. Gutierrez, Costa Rican Ambassador to the United States Mr. Philip Kidd, the Ambassador’s attorney |
| Mr. H. G. Tarrington, Civil Aeronautics Administration | |
| Mr. D. D. Thomas, Civil Aeronautics Administration | |
| Mr. Murray Wise, State Department | |
| Mr. Henry H. McGeorge, State Department16 | |
| Mr. Leo G. Cyr, State Department |
The Ambassador explained the purpose of the above-mentioned note by saying that Costa Rica has spent $1,000,000 on the airport at San José without having produced an airport that can be used by four motored planes. The runways will have to be lengthened considerably and the airport otherwise improved, he stated, if San José is to assume a place on the international civil aviation map. Moreover, the Costa Rican Government now suspects that the San José airport is not well located and before expending more money wishes to have the technical advice of experts in deciding whether to develop a new airport at Alejuela (10 miles from San José) or to improve the San José airport. He asked whether the United States could provide such assistance.
Mr. Wise recalled that Mr. Carl A. Posey of CAA had already prepared a study entitled “Airport Study for San José, Costa Rica”. The Ambassador stated that he had not been aware of the existence of this study and seemed to be satisfied that it would answer the technical questions involved. He was furnished with a copy of the study and informed that four copies have been made available to the Costa Rican Government in San José.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The meeting closed with the understanding that the Costa Ricans will review Mr. Posey’s study and will discuss the technical phases of the problem with the above-mentioned CAA representatives. Any questions which may later arise with respect to financial assistance or in respect to training of Costa Rican personnel will be raised through diplomatic channels.