811.20 (D) Regulations/5316: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Spain (Weddell)
662. Your 974, November 21, 7 p.m.,46 and 1024, December 8, 8 p.m. The Embassy is under a misapprehension in assuming that the Department has been conducting negotiations with the Spanish Government through Ambassador Cárdenas. There have been no negotiations at this end thus far and the Embassy may rest assured that it will be informed of any negotiations undertaken hereafter.
No embargo has been applied on exports to Spain and it is understood that some commodities are being licensed in the ordinary routine. On the other hand, it is true that certain licenses are being rejected or held in abeyance pending settlement of the basic question of the petroleum supply.
In this connection a study of the figures in the hands of the Department, which are understood to be CAMPSA’s figures, has revealed apparent discrepancies and created serious doubts as to their accuracy. The tankers now off Port Arthur applied for gas oil, whereas our figures indicate that Spain’s gas oil inventory including Canary Islands is already at a relatively high level.
If the situation with regard to any specific product is acute consideration may be given to an adequately supported request, upon receiving assurance that our proposed plan of control will be agreed to and without awaiting the fully detailed information on all products. Meanwhile it is understood that the Spanish Embassy has requested its Government to furnish the preliminary data outlined in paragraphs 5 and 6 of the Department’s telegram 618 of November 26, 3 p.m.,46 and the Department is awaiting these data, which the Embassy states have not yet been received.