740.00112A EW/5–2345

The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Venezuela (Flack)

No. 3056

The Acting Secretary of State refers to the Department’s circular airgram of April 28, 1945, 4:20 p.m. [9 a.m.?],72 concerning the considerations which will govern the maintenance of the Proclaimed List following the cessation of hostilities in Europe. This circular airgram stated that instructions would be forthcoming on the individual problems of each of the other American republics.

There is enclosed73 a memorandum dated April 27, 1945, entitled “Policy with Respect to Proclaimed and Confidential Lists in Post-Hostilities Period: Western Hemisphere” in greater detail than was possible in the circular airgram.

There is also enclosed a memorandum entitled “Country Memorandum for Venezuela” which has been approved by the Interdepartmental Proclaimed List Committee. This country memorandum outlines the progress that has been made, analyzes the present Pro claimed List and replacement situation, and contains recommendations approved by the Committee concerning the withdrawal of the Pro claimed List for Venezuela.

Unless the Officer in Charge perceives objections, he is requested to consult with his British colleague, who will receive similar instructions, and to approach the Venezuelan Government in accordance with the recommendations contained in the enclosed country memorandum. Any objections to or comments concerning these recommendations or the memorandum of April 27 should be cabled immediately.

It is important, of course, that advance notice of the plan for the early reduction or withdrawal of the Proclaimed List in cooperative countries not be given any wider circulation than is absolutely necessary. If practicable, discussions with the Venezuelan Government should be limited to the plans for the reduction of the Proclaimed List in Venezuela. It may, however, be desirable to indicate that this Government is considering the complete or virtual withdrawal of the Pro claimed List in certain of the other American republics, in order to [Page 1433] explain why this Government feels that the Proclaimed List for Venezuela should be virtually withdrawn. In no event should the plans to eliminate intermediate offenders from the Proclaimed List approximately four months after V–E Day and to withdraw the Proclaimed List completely approximately one year after V–E Day, be divulged.

The Embassy in its discussions with the Venezuelan authorities should stress the importance of eliminating remaining spearheads and the fact that the spearheads remaining on the List will be considered ad hoc for deletion when they are effectively eliminated.

As indicated in paragraph III–f of the enclosed memorandum of April 27, 1945, appropriate publicity will be given to the reduction of the Proclaimed List to a hard-core. This publicity will probably take the form of a press release and appropriate footnotes in the supplement in which the reduction occurs.

It is contemplated that the forthcoming supplement, which under the normal schedule would appear on June 1, will be postponed until June 8, and that the British Statutory List supplement, which would ordinarily appear approximately June 15, will also appear on June 8 so that the reductions can be made simultaneously in both the Pro claimed and Statutory Lists.

In view of the urgency of this matter, the Officer in Charge is re quested to report by telegram what action has been taken and the results thereof, including the names which should comprise the hard core list. In order to obviate the necessity of cabling numerous names, the latter should be done by referring to the Venezuelan section of Revision no. IX of the Proclaimed List dated February 28, 1945, giving the page and line numbers of all names to be retained on the List. For instance, Optical Alemana and Quimica Schering S.A. would be designated as follows: Page 220 lines 16, 32.

  1. Ante, p. 661.
  2. Enclosures not printed.