840.51 Frozen Credits/10346
The American Chargé in Venezuela (Flack) to the Venezuelan Minister for Foreign Affairs (Parra-Pérez)87
Excellency: I have the honor to refer to Your Excellency’s esteemed note No. 02005–E of April 14, 1943, concerning the contemplated remittance of certain funds to the Swiss Government for use in paying municipal taxes in Paris on the property of four Venezuelan citizens named in the note cited.
The inquiry of the Venezuelan Government was communicated to the Department of State and I am now in receipt of the reply informing me that for the following reasons the State Department considers it very undesirable that the remittance be made:
- (a)
- It would furnish to the enemy badly needed foreign exchange and involve a direct contribution to the enemy;
- (b)
- Although the amount in this case is small, a dangerous precedent would be established if the contemplated remittance were to be made.
- (c)
- It is the view of the State Department that the remittance would not be in consonance with Resolution No. 1 of the Washington Conference. The State Department added that in view of its commitment under the Resolution cited, the United States Government does not allow remittances for purposes of this nature to be made by its own citizens.
In communicating to Your Excellency the above expressed views of the Department of State, I have been requested to add that accordingly my Government does not find it possible to authorize the use of its facilities for the remittance contemplated and at the same time to express to Your Excellency the hope of my Government that upon reexamination of the matter in the light of the Washington Resolutions, the Venezuelan Government may find it possible to reconsider its position.
Please accept [etc.]
- Copy transmitted to the Department by the Chargé in Venezuela in his despatch No. 4368, May 5; received May 10.↩