Office of the Historian

840.20/3–1849: Telegram

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

top secret
Lisbon, March 18, 1949—6 p. m.

us urgent

98. Secretary General of Foreign Office informed me this morning that Portuguese Ambassador Washington1 has been urgently instructed consult Department and seek answers to following questions (mytel 96, March 172).

1.
Is treaty submitted final, or can it be modified in accordance with Portuguese suggestion of duration limited to ten years?
2.
If treaty is final without possibility of modification, could Portuguese sign with reservation as to duration?
3.
If above two alternatives impossible, could Portuguese Government accede to pact at later date with same reservation?

Secretary General added invitation will be placed before cabinet immediately answers to above received.

In repeated conversations yesterday and today, both Ronald and I have used every possible argument persuade Portuguese Government sign pact as stands, both in general interest and that of Portugal itself. Nevertheless Portuguese attitude remains precisely as stated in mytel 87, March 10, though I believe signature now practically certain [Page 238] if some such procedure as that suggested in final sentence that message could be permitted.3

Regarding effectiveness of Department’s request to Pereira (Deptel 78 [73], March 174) that Portugal “consider duration not only from aspect of Portuguese commitments but also from aspect of US commitment to assist Portugal during 20 years period,” which request I strongly reiterated here this morning, Department may refer to final sentence paragraph two mytel 19 of January 20.5

MacVeagh
  1. Pedro Theotónio Pereira.↩
  2. Not printed.↩
  3. The last sentence of telegram No. 87, not printed, read as follows: “Believe therefore that if anything like 20 year period desired, Portuguese Government more likely join if definite duration limited 10 years with remainder covered by usual clause permitting withdrawal on notice given” (840.20/3–1049).↩
  4. Not printed.↩
  5. In final sentence of telegram No. 19, not printed, MacVeagh warned that if Portugal were not adequately supplied with ECA funds, his local leadership and prestige would be impaired and negotiations on such matters as the Azores might be seriously jeopardized (840.50 Recovery/1–2049).↩