853B.7962/7–2647: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Portugal
575. We have delayed replying your recent telegrams pending opportunity discuss your negotiations with Pereira yesterday after he had presented credentials. We gave him copy of Memorandum (urtel 582 July 26) and repeated objections you have already made.
Pereira had not seen Memo and has not heard from his Govt about negotiations since his departure. He obviously did not understand this turn of events and was surprised by contents of Memo and to learn FonMin was not expected in Lisbon before end of month. He said he would cable Lisbon to express our views and request information.
Pereira gave no indication of part he expected Bianchi1 might play in negotiations but did suggest he would be appropriate person to talk with in FonMin’s absence. We discussed negotiations with Bianchi prior to his departure and while he was sympathetic with our objectives he seemed more interested in winding up his personal affairs.
War Dept has expressed great appreciation for effective manner in which you countered points raised in Portuguese Memo. They and we concur fully in all points you made and you are authorized, whenever you consider it desirable, so to inform FonOff.
It has occurred to us as it probably has to you, in connection with urtel 582, that Portuguese may be purposely using widespread shift in FonOff personnel as means of delaying negotiations. In view of FonMin’s extended absence and fact that you will probably have to begin all over again if you deal with Bianchi, you may wish to consider desirability of approaching Dr. Salazar as Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs. We have not discussed such an approach with Pereira.
Following details have arisen out of examination of Memo and are set forth for your info:
Portuguese use of phrase “North American airplanes of the ATC” indicated misconception of type of traffic we wish to have serviced at [Page 1033] Lagens. This would for instance exclude occasional administrative and transport flights of Navy aircraft and might well exclude transit of combat aircraft. Furthermore name of Air Transport Command might be changed at some future date. Our inclination is therefore to describe aircraft which we wish to transit Lagens as “aircraft operated by or on behalf of the United States Government” (phrase used in Iceland Agreement).
In connection with personnel, War Dept states it would not be able to find qualified civilian personnel who would be willing to settle at Lagens and War Dept cannot of course “authorize the contracting by Portuguese authorities” of American military personnel. If present Iceland Agreement should be raised as precedent in connection with use of civilian personnel you may say that it has proved most unsatisfactory in operation (i.e. through contract arrangement with private company) and that we hope for much more satisfactory arrangement with Portuguese Govt.
Assume Col Warren had satisfactory info on current number and use of personnel. If you desire further briefing on this please advise.
- Dr. João Antonio de Bianchi was succeeded by Mr. Pereira as Portuguese Ambassador to the United States.↩