832.7962/86
The Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 10.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to Department’s telegram 3180 of August 24, 6 p.m. and to my telegram 4137 of August 28, 1 p.m47 in which I reported that the Air Minister48 had assured us orally that the present arrangements with regard to the Airport Development Program in Brazil would be maintained.
There is attached for the Department’s prior approval the proposed aide-mémoire49 for delivery to the Air Minister formalizing our [Page 636] understanding of the conditions under which Panair do Brasil may continue the construction and operation of installations on behalf of the War Department.
I have not sought extension of Decree Law 3462 for the reason that it is inherently not renewable. The Decree Law envisaged the construction of a specific set of installations budgeted at a particular amount and takes into account a set of factors which no longer prevail. My request of the Air Minister is therefore solely for the maintenance of the status quo. That, it seems, is essentially what the War Department and Pan American Airways desire.
I am taking up the matter of defining “accessory facilities” independently of the ADP arrangements. Otherwise the decision on the ADP may be delayed by being tied in with what appears to be a controversial issue. It may interest the Department to know that Mr. George Rihl, on his own initiative, has stated that all of the facilities in question have been constructed with United States Government funds. There is, therefore, no immediate need for the assurances requested by the Department that the facilities installed by Panair do Brasil with its own funds should not be jeopardized.
Respectfully yours,