276. Letter From the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Murphy) to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Irwin)1
Dear Mr. Irwin: Despatch No. 127 of July 31, 1959 from our Embassy at Rio de Janeiro2—copies of which have been distributed to the Department of Defense—reviews the considerations bearing on a renewal of our Agreement with Brazil for the maintenance on the Island of Fernando de Noronha of a United States Air Force missiles tracking facility. The Embassy considers that if continuance of this facility is essential for military reasons, the negotiations for renewal of the Agreement should be deferred until after the next Brazilian president has taken office in January 1961, when the climate for renegotiating the Agreement would probably be more favorable.
We agree with the Embassy and would, therefore, prefer deferring any approach to the Brazilian Government regarding renegotiation until after January 1961. Since the present Agreement does not expire until January 1962, the deferral contemplated would still leave ample time for the negotiations.
We hope, however, that a renewal of the Agreement will not be required. As is well known to the Department of Defense, it has been necessary to provide Brazil substantial amounts of grant military assistance in connection with the present Agreement and for the maintenance and operation of the facility. Members of the relevant Congressional committees have already reacted unfavorably to the provision of such sizable amounts. It seems likely that this reaction would be intensified by a Brazilian request for additional funds or military assistance, in any amount comparable to the present United States commitment, in connection with renewal of the Agreement. In addition, negotiations for renewal could touch off another campaign similar to the one which took place during the negotiations of the present [Page 742] Agreement. At that time the Agreement became a heated political issue which anti-United States nationalists and Communists were able to exploit in Brazil on a national scale. The revival of the issue would certainly be damaging to United States interests.
I would appreciate your reviewing the military need for continuing the facility beyond the life of the present Agreement. Should you determine that a facility other than the one on Brazilian territory could be utilized, without sacrificing an essential United States military requirement, I would appreciate the concurrence of the Department of Defense in informing Brazil that the United States does not intend to renew the Agreement.
Sincerely yours,