611.2331/211

Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. H. Gerald Smith of the Division of Commercial Treaties and Agreements

Participants: Señor Juan Chavez, Commercial Counselor, Peruvian Embassy
Mr. Hawkins, TA74
Mr. Smith, TA

Señor Chavez called, upon request, to receive formally the Department’s proposals in connection with the possibility of negotiating a [Page 547] trade agreement with Peru. There was a discussion of the principal points covered in the proposals, in connection with which Señor Chavez raised a question about the omission from the list of products on which the United States would consider granting concessions to Peru, of certain items which had appeared on the Peruvian request list presented to the Department in November 1940. It was explained to Señor Chavez that we had made every effort to include in the list all the items of real or potential importance to Peru, but if after considering the list, the Peruvian Government desired that consideration be given to certain additional products, we would be glad to study these again.

Señor Chavez said that he would transmit the Department’s proposals to his Government at once and would get in touch with us as soon as he received a reply from Lima.

It was made clear to Señor Chavez that, as was mentioned in the proposals, the question of the timing of a public announcement of negotiations with Peru was one which would be decided after agreement had been reached between the two Governments on the basis for negotiations, and in the meantime the Department’s proposals should be held in strict confidence.

  1. Harry C. Hawkins, Chief of the Division of Commercial Treaties and Agreements.