840.20/3–2249: Telegram
The Ambassador in Portugal (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
103. Re invitation joint Atlantic treaty, two Cabinet meetings have been held without result, but Foreign Minister hopes for decision tomorrow. Message from Secretary (Deptel 79, March 21) would thus seem to have arrived at most useful moment: I gave it to ther Foreign Minister this afternoon, and he promised to hand it to Salazar within half-hour.
Spanish Ambassador called on Foreign. Minister yesterday and said Portugal should not sign pact, since this in conflict with Luso-Spanish treaty of friendship. Foreign Minister rejected this view, explaining consultations under pact called for only in case aggression and maintaining that neither inconsistency with existing agreements nor impediment to future defense arrangements between Spain and Portugal involved. Told me he felt Spanishdémarche, which has given rise to many rumors here, was ill-conceived, but excused it on grounds Spanish pride wounded by exclusion from treaty group.