752.5–MSP/12–3151: Telegram
The Ambassador in Spain (Griffis) to the Secretary of State 1
669. For State and MSA. Personal for Bissell from Porter. Amb and I believe it wld be desirable to proceed promptly with estab MSA mission to Spain. We recommend that a chief of mission be selected as soon as possible to have responsibility for negotiating and administrating MSA aid program and attendant conditions on basis Sufrin report.
We believe primary qualification of mission chief shld be that he is an effective administrator, preferably with business experience. He shld be tough-minded and skillful in dealing with people. If early appointment of permanent mission chief does not seem feasible, we suggest deputy be designated who cld serve as acting chief until permanent chief arrives. We contemplate small mission which wld include officers concerned with program, food and agriculture, industrial production and comptroller. Industrial production officer wld probably require one asst each for coal, electric power, non-ferrous metal mining and transportation. Pending decision as to how info activities in Eur will be handled in future, recommend that info services for MSA mission be provided by Emb info staff. Program officer shld be generally qualified in field of fin trade. Upon my return to Paris will review available personnel for prospective assignment and will communicate with you further. Recommend that we plan to have at least nucleus of mission in Madrid by end Jan.
If State and MSA concur, suggest negotiation of bilat agmt proceed forthwith under Amb’s direction. At his request I wld detail member of OSR general counsel office to Madrid temporarily to assist in these negots.
While neither Amb nor I have as yet read whole of Sufrin report,2 we have carefully gone over its summary and other parts which Sufrin himself wrote. We regard it in its main conclusions as an excellent document and believe that it shld be accepted as definite modus operandi for aid program of whatever size may be decided upon. Emb believes Sufrin report shld be bible of MSA operations, and that on basis of it we shld now proceed with plan of action. I concur in this view. [Porter.]