753.5 MSP/10–154: Telegram
No. 815
The Chargé in Portugal (Brown) to the
Department of State
92. Re Deptel 93.1 Whenever timing considered during past year, we have consistently reached conclusion renegotiation Azores agreement should not for best results be opened 1954 and preferably not till late 1955. Agreement expires December 31, 1956. While Portuguese fears and sensibilities re our ultimate intentions in Azores have been substantially allayed, latent suspicions that we harbor long term ideas, to which they always object, would probably be aroused if Portuguese prematurely approached this subject.
Having in mind cold war atmosphere in which present agreement was reached, we believe once Portuguese are convinced that world conditions at termination of agreement warrant renewal on their part, they will acquiesce without undue difficulties. In our opinion, however, they will want to wait until eleventh hour to satisfy selves on this key point.
Also Portuguese have Goa very much in mind and therefore desirable allow ample time this problem settle down from present acute stage when US neutrality still much resented.
- Dated Sept. 30, telegram 93 requested clarification of a statement made in telegram 71 from Lisbon, Sept. 16, to the effect that the negotiations for the renewal of the Azores Agreement should be delayed as long as possible. (753.5 MSP/9–3054)↩