718.56/1–2952
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Director of the Office of Middle American Affairs (Nufer)
Subject:
- Costa Rica’s Desire to Purchase New Arms in the United States and Dispose of its Present Stock of Military Equipment
- Participants: Ambassador Oreamuno of Costa Rica
- Ambassador Albert F. Nufer, Director, MID
At the Cuban Embassy reception yesterday evening, Ambassador Oreamuno inquired about the latest developments with regard to Costa Rica’s desire to purchase new arms in the United States and to dispose of its present stock of military equipment. He was particularly anxious to know when arrangements for the sale of the latter could be completed. I told the Ambassador that I would investigate and report back to him today.
In discussing this matter with Mr. Siracusa and Mr. Spalding, I learned that Defense had written Ambassador Oreamuno on January 12 listing the arms and equipment available and the cost thereof which, I understand, totals about $830,000. Defense asked the Costa Rican Government to place its order within thirty days for the equipment it desired to purchase. …
Ambassador Oreamuno telephoned me this morning and I told him that I understood he had received a letter from Defense to which a reply had not yet been received from his Government. I also said I had been informed that someone would be sent to Costa Rica as soon as possible to negotiate for the purchase of Costa Rica’s present stock of arms. The Ambassador said that Costa Rica found itself in a vicious circle in so far as this problem was concerned; that his Government had been able to set aside $100,000 for the purchase of some of the equipment it most urgently needed, but that it would not be able to make out its order for transmission to Defense until it knew definitely [Page 819] what the proceeds from the sale of its present stock of arms would be. If these proceeds total $100,000 as he had heard they might, his Government could at once submit to Defense an order for $200,000 worth of new equipment which, he said, would take care of Costa Rica’s most urgent requirements. In view of the thirty-day deadline specified in Defense’s letter,2 it was therefore extremely urgent that the person charged with arranging for the purchase of Costa Rica’s present equipment proceed to San José without delay, and he expressed the hope that the Department would do whatever it could to hurry his trip.
. . . . . . .
- No copy of this letter was found in Department of State files.↩