435.4131/4–550: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina (Griffis) to the Secretary of State
confidential
Buenos Aires, April
5, 1950—noon.
317. For Miller from Ambassador. England and Argentina deadlocked on price meat new trade agreement.1 Situation extremely awkward [Page 709] account reference British Food Minister Webb to “blackmail”: Face saving needed on both sides.
How would Department feel about my acting arbitrator joint Argentine British committee to set meat price within certain agreed price limits. Please do not discuss Argentines there.2
Easter wishes.
Griffis
- Reference is to the annual pricing negotiations held under the terms of the United Kingdom-Argentine Trade and Payments Agreement signed June 27, 1949. The Agreement provided for completion of these negotiations by April 1, 1950. Text is printed in United Nations Treaty Series, vol. 83, p. 217.↩
- In telegram 207, April 6, 1950, Mr. Miller replied in part: “Present discussions with Argentines progressing in manner which makes any participation your part Arg-Brit discussions inadvisable.” (435.4131/4–550)↩