835.24/177: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina (Armour) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:10 p.m.]
962. Embassy’s telegram 949, September 11, 7 p.m.11 Minister for Foreign Affairs states that he is holding conversations with the Ministers of War and Marine regarding forthcoming staff conversations in Washington. In order to decide finally upon officers to be appointed and instructions to them he and his colleagues would appreciate receiving from our Government more definite data than they now have as result of preliminary conversations with Spears12 and Christian13 as to subjects to be discussed and form which agreements mentioned first and last paragraph of Department’s telegram 476, July 25, 7 p.m., will take. He seems to understand from Espil that some kind of general form agreement has been drawn up: in any event he presumes that our staff conversations and agreements resulting there from, with other countries within framework of continental defense program would probably enable us to give them an idea what form our agreement with them would take. In the meantime I am giving the Minister the Spanish text of the basic agreement (revised) Department’s circular instructions of July 2614 1st in the thought that this may possibly be the form agreement which he has in mind although this deals primarily with purchase of military and naval equipment under Lease-Lend agreement, of which I understand from Department’s telegram No. 617, September 6, 8 p.m.,11 the Argentine Government does not desire to avail itself.