810.20 Defense/2970: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Guatemala (Des Portes)
280. Your A–3, July 10, 5 p.m.11 The principles that underlie the proposed Air Base and Lend-Lease Agreements have been informally agreed upon between this Department and the War Department. This Department has transmitted the proposed texts of these Agreements to the War Department, and is now awaiting a [Page 443] reply which is expected in a few days. Should the Guatemalan Government complain of the delay or of the number of soldiers now stationed in Guatemala, you may informally indicate the Department’s regret at the delay and express confidence that the draft as worked out between the different agencies of this Government will be most acceptable to the Guatemalan Government.
- Not printed; in it the Minister recommended that an air base agreement with Guatemala be signed as soon as possible since United States military personnel in Guatemala already numbered 1,668 and was to be increased within the next few weeks to 1,793.↩