832.7962/99
The Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 11.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s instruction 5287 of November 10, 194376 enclosing a memorandum with regard to the possible usefulness of negotiating at this time an agreement with the Brazilian Government on commercial aviation.
During Mr. Livingston Satterthwaite’s77 visit here, he, together with members of my staff, had discussed this matter with General Walsh, both in Rio de Janeiro and at his headquarters. In addition, the Embassy has had the opportunity to consult Mr. William Robertson, Regional Manager at Atlanta of the Civil Aeronautics Administration; and Mr. C. J. Tippett, also of the CAA, now on assignment here.
There is, in this connection, attached advance copy of a letter78 General Walsh proposes to address to me. He informed Messrs. Tippett and Walmsley79 during a visit to Natal and Recife with Mr. Satterthwaite December 1 and 2 that he expected clearance by telephone the morning of the 3rd from Colonels Hertford and Brownell of the War Department. He had no objection, however, to my submitting this advance copy in order to expedite my reply to the Department’s instruction 5287.
I am in accord with the Department and General Walsh as to the timeliness of reaching agreement with Brazil on these matters.
I have informed General Walsh that although the plan for the Joint Commission has definite merit, the chances of its acceptability to the Brazilian Government will decrease, not increase, as time passes. The General feels optimistic that if we can open negotiations at once, the [Page 649] Brazilian Government will be responsive to the proposed Joint Commission.
I am therefore in general accord with General Walsh’s draft letter.
I requested Mr. Walmsley to suggest to General Walsh at Natal last week, that the important selling points for an agreement with Brazil should include the following:
- a)
- An offer to train selected Brazilian personnel under CAA80 sponsorship in airport operation in the United States (see Embassy’s airgram 2616 of November 22, 1943).81
- b)
- The inauguration at the airports by the Army of a training program for Brazilian airport personnel, particularly after those trained under (a) have returned to Brazil.
- c)
- The loan of American technical personnel to the Air Ministry for the transition period between the withdrawal of the United States Army and the assumption of control of the airport facilities by Brazil.
With reference to (b), there is enclosed a copy of a memorandum of November 2781 prepared by Lt. Colonel Barton of General Walsh’s staff with regard to a training program for Brazilian personnel. General Walsh informed Mr. Walmsley that his command is selecting around fifty Brazilians per week from the men now being discharged (with the completion of major construction) for training side by side with United States Army personnel. In other words, the General states, a training program for Brazilians in the lower brackets is already in progress.
In regard to an air agreement in general, the Air Minister and Brigadeiro Gomes have both expressed approval of the principle of reciprocity. Brigadeiro Gomes, however, again raised, on his own initiative when talking to Messrs. Tippett and Walmsley, his objections to inland routes for foreign carriers. I enclose a memorandum of this conversation81 as of interest to the Department, the War Department, the CAA, etc.
As the Department correctly appreciates, few if any Brazilians are aware of the fact that as matters now stand Brazil may be denied reciprocal rights for those Brazilian airlines it desires to have enter the United States. The exclusion of Brazilian airlines desiring to fly to the United States would obviously have a serious effect on our aviation interests.
I shall be glad to enter discussions, in conjunction with General Walsh, with the Brazilian authorities upon receipt of appropriate instructions.
Respectfully yours,