837.61351/2430a
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Cuba (Messersmith)
Sir: Reference is made to instruction no. 421 of January 11, 1941 instructing you to proceed, after your return to Habana, and after the conclusion of agreement in principle between the Government of Cuba and the Export-Import Bank with respect to the financing of an extraordinary quota of 400,000 Spanish long tons of sugar, with discussions with the President of the Republic, the Minister of State and the Minister of the Presidency, with respect to further economic cooperation between the United States and Cuba.
You are instructed, in your discretion, to discuss the sugar financing situation with the Minister of State informing him that the decision of the Export-Import Bank to extend such sugar financing was taken on the urgent representations of the Government of Cuba and that it is not the intention of the Department and the Export-Import Bank that the acceptance of such financing is a condition precedent to the rest of the cooperative program.
If the Government of Cuba desires not to accept the proposal of the Export-Import Bank with regard to sugar financing, you are instructed to undertake the conversations referred to in instruction no. 421, including the extension of Decree-Law no. 522 regarding the distribution of quotas for the production of sugar among measures [Page 137] to be carried out by the Government of Cuba in accordance with numbered paragraph 2.
Very truly yours,