882.635 Neep/81
The Secretary of State to the Executive Secretary of the American Iron and Steel Institute (Tower)
My Dear Mr. Tower: It is my understanding that Dr. Alexander V. Dye, Director of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, informally brought to your attention a short time ago a projected concession for the exploitation of iron ore deposits in the Republic of Liberia, and the opportunity which it might offer for American participation in the development of those resources.
The Department has now received, from sources which for the present must be regarded as strictly confidential, a copy of what purports to be an analysis of drilling cores from one drilling hole in the area where the deposits occur. It would be appreciated if you would bring this fact to the attention of the concerns which are members of your organization, advising them at the same time that the Department will, upon the request of any such concern, be glad to make the information available on the same confidential basis. You will of course understand that the Department can assume no responsibility for the accuracy or reliability of the data in question.
The reason why the Department is treating the subject in the above manner is that a considerable amount of background pertinent to the proposed concession would have to be furnished by it in confidence to any American concern that might be interested in the Liberian iron ore deposits.
Sincerely yours,
Chief, Division of Near Eastern Affairs