Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, The Western Hemisphere, Volume IX

561.333D3/9–1448

Memorandum by Mr. John K. Havemeyer of the Office of International Trade Policy

[Washington,] September 14, 1948.

Subject: Meeting No. 114 of the Inter-American Coffee Board

The Inter-American Coffee Board met at its offices, 2400 16th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., at 10:30 a. m. on September 14, 1948.

The Chairman welcomed the new Alternate Delegate from Brazil, Dr. Walder L. Sarmanho.

1. Approval of Minutes. The minutes of Meeting No. 113 were considered and approved without change.

2. Consideration of Future Inter-American Cooperation With Respect to Coffee. The Secretary-Manager’s report and statements made by the representatives of Guatemala, Venezuela and Brazil indicated that all governments participating in the Agreement had accepted the Board’s resolution of August 2, 1948 except Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador and Nicaragua. The Chairman asked that the delegates of those countries make an effort to secure a reply from their governments before September 30, 1948. The Board authorized the Secretary-Manager to work directly with the delegates and embassies in Washington in order to expedite acceptance.

The Chairman then asked the Delegate of Venezuela, who is also the acting chairman of the Inter-American Economic and Social Council, for a report on the present status of the draft resolution which the Board prepared for the Council. (This resolution creates a Commission on Coffee under the IA–ECOSOC.) The Delegate of Venezuela replied that the Council had not yet considered the draft but that it had been circulated among the members and would be considered at its next meeting.

The Chairman pointed out that since eleven governments represented on IA–ECOSOC have already approved the Board’s resolution of August 2, 1948, it was implicit that there should be no question concerning approval by IA–ECOSOC of the draft resolution now being circulated. The Delegate of Guatemala suggested that the resolution of the Board dated August 2 is now effective and that the Chairman of the Board should immediately write a letter to the appropriate authority in the Organization of American States requesting that organization to assume responsibility as of October 1, 1948, for continuation of Inter-American governmental cooperation with respect to coffee.

The Chairman then presented for the Board’s consideration a draft resolution. This resolution was passed by the Board with one amendment. (Attachment 1)

In the discussion of the resolution, the Delegate of Colombia suggested that paragraph 4 of the resolution include the transfer of the Board’s Trade Advisory Committee. The consensus of the Board was that this would not be ‘appropriate, but it was agreed that the Chairman would write direct to the Chairman of the Trade Advisory Committee, presenting the Board’s thanks for its past cooperation and expressing its hope for continued cooperation when the Commission on Coffee is established in the Organization of American States. The Chairman replied that the members of the Board could meet after September 30 as individuals and could advise their governments to expedite the creation of the Commission on Coffee, should the necessity for doing so arise. He and other members of the Board expressed the view, however, that there would be no occasion for doing this.

[Here follow statements on annual reports, the coffee study, lease on the Board’s offices, and financial affairs.]

[Attachment 1]

Resolution by the Inter-American Board

Washington, September 14, 1948.

Whereas: Article 3 paragraph (c) of the protocol extending the Inter-American Coffee Agreement for one year beginning October 1, 1947 states that the Inter-American Coffee Board shall undertake to make arrangements prior to October 1, 1948 for the transfer of its functions, assets and records to an appropriate inter-American or other international organization.

Whereas: The Board’s resolution of August 2, 1948 recommending to the Governments participating in the Inter-American Coffee Agreement that the Board be authorized to request the Organization of American States to assume responsibility, as of October 1, 1948, for continuation of inter-American governmental cooperation with respect, to coffee, has been approved;

the inter-american coffee board

Resolves:

(1) To transfer, on October 1, 1948 its physical assets and records to the Organization of American States;

(2) To authorize the present Executive Committee of the Board to complete the translation and publication of Annual Reports and the Coffee Study and to pay any outstanding debts which were authorized by the Board or may be necessary in bringing to completion projects which were authorized by the Board;

(3) To authorize the Executive Committee, after completing the tasks set forth in paragraph (2), but not later than December 31, 1948, to transfer such financial assets as remain to the Organization of American States;

(4) To request the Executive Committee to recommend to the Organization of American States the employment of the present staff of the Board.