837.61351/2681b supplemental: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Cuba ( Messersmith )

401. Instruction 1096 of December 11.70 The Office of Price Administration has confirmed that the proposed terms of purchase for the 1942 Cuban sugar crop as stated in the Department’s telegram no. 374 of December 1, 3 p.m., are satisfactory to that Office. These terms may therefore be considered as a commitment. In order that no misunderstandings may arise you are requested to secure from the Cuban Government a memorandum of acceptance of the proposal set forth in the Department’s aforementioned telegram no. 374.

With reference to the penultimate paragraph of the Department’s airmail instruction no. 1096 of December 11, 1941, you are requested to advise the Department by telegram immediately that the Cuban Government has indicated its very clear understanding that any adjustment in the price ceiling of raw sugar which might be undertaken in anticipation of the purchase agreement would be designed to carry out in advance the terms of that agreement, and not for any other purpose.71

As soon as you have obtained satisfactory assurances on these two points, the Defense Supply Corporation and the Office of Price Administration will be prepared to work out the final details of the arrangements with a small Cuban commission, say of not more than two persons. Naturally the selection of these persons is entirely up to the Cuban Government, but the naming of Dr. Arturo Mañas will be very satisfactory because of his familiarity with the previous negotiations as well as his knowledge of English.

This Government, of course, understands that the purchasing arrangement would not be formally concluded nor go into effect before conclusion of the pending supplementary trade agreement, the situation with regard to which you have been made aware by Hawkins’72 telephone call of this afternoon.

Hull
  1. Not printed.
  2. See memorandum of December 14, 1941, from the Cuban Minister of State to the American Ambassador in Cuba, p. 246.
  3. Harry C. Hawkins, Chief of the Division of Commercial Policy and Agreements.