853B.7962/7–347: Telegram

The Ambassador in Portugal ( Wiley ) to the Secretary of State

secret
us urgent

500. For Reber. Mytel 493, of July 2.1 By appointment I called on the Foreign Minister at 12:30 today. The Minister, as a result of my off the record talk with Teotonio Pereira, Ambassador designate to the US, was of course forewarned of the purpose of my visit, namely to present the Azores note. There was a marked atmosphere of nervous expectation.

I spoke to the Foreign Minister along the following lines; I told him that we are very grateful for the collaboration we have received in the past from Portugal in respect of the Azores and, to allay current rumors, I assured him that I had not been sent to Portugal only to work out this or any other particular question. I foresaw a broad and continuing field for collaboration between us. We appreciate the special ancient relationship which exists between Portugal and England and I assured him we had no desire to see it weakened in any way. I reminded him that there has also been a very special relationship for a long time between Great Britain and the United States, based on realities rather than the written word. I hoped that collaboration on the same basis between the United States and Portugal might close the triangle.

I then referred to previous conversations for a long range agreement with Portugal and the inadvisability either for US or for them to pursue the matter further at this time. With this the Foreign Minister expressed entire agreement.

I handed our note to the Minister which he read carefully. He stated that a new agreement according US essential facilities in the Azores was necessary not only for the United States but also for Portugal. He recognized that the presence of American military occupation forces in Germany and Japan was of the greatest value to all.

He went on to say that there had been a very important meeting of the Cabinet (this presumably resulted from my conversation with Teotonio Pereira), in which Dr. Salazar2 had called on him to discuss the world political situation. He repeated to me the gist of his remarks at that time which were in brief as follows: He lamented the fact that Great Britain, which in the past had been the central pillar of Portugal’s economic and financial structure, had now become a [Page 1026] debtor nation to “little Portugal”, was fatigued from the war and could no longer play its traditional role. Portugal has always looked upon France as a great political force in Europe but it too could no longer play its traditional role. The infiltration of Communism in many countries of the world and the Soviet control of Eastern Europe, he viewed with the greatest alarm and said that he felt that another war was inevitable. He was not sure that it would not be both advisable and necessary. I replied that another war would be a universal disaster and the United States could be counted upon to do everything humanly possible to avert any such calamity.

The Foreign Minister repeated that we would get in the Azores what we needed and he expressed great satisfaction that we had included the paragraph on the Mixed Commission. In making arrangements to meet European requirements, however, he said that we must work out a formula which would permit the Portuguese Government to reassure Portuguese public opinion that there was no infringement of Portuguese sovereignty. He said that he was convinced that we could readily work out such a formula and he implied that whatever the formula might be we would have what we want.

The Foreign Minister stated he would see Dr. Salazar today but he was confident that he would encounter no difficulties with him.

I asked the Foreign Minister to let me know when it might be timely for me to pay my respects to Dr. Salazar. He said he would mention the matter [to] Dr. Salazar at once.

These conversations have opened under what appear to be very favorable circumstances. The Foreign Minister, however, has the reputation of being at times too optimistic and Dr. Salazar is, of course, known to be very legalistic. I think we can expect to encounter snags in connection with the formula. While I am convinced of the good intentions of the Foreign Minister, there are resolute die-hards in key positions here. This business is not yet in the bag and we may still encounter serious difficulties.

After my conversation with the Foreign Minister, I fully informed the British Ambassador. He told me that he had been alerted to be prepared in the immediate future to make representations to the Portuguese Government together with the French Minister in connection with the Paris meetings on the “Marshall Plan”. He promised to take that occasion to tell the Foreign Minister privately that he had learned with great satisfaction that my representations had received such a favorable reception, and he will make clear the interest which his government feels in seeing a solution satisfactory to all concerned.

Wiley
  1. Not printed.
  2. Dr. Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, President of the Portuguese Council of Ministers.