825.24/1652: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Bowers) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:14 p.m.]
2117. Airgram 1424, December 10,39 copper limitation agreement. We believe that refinery shapes contingency should be reduced to 50 tons and Chilean quota increased 50 tons. It will be necessary to permit extra quota shipments of 450 tons refinery shapes from Chile to Argentina under pre-limitation agreement contract between Chilean Army Workshops and Argentine Army which is being fulfilled at the rate of 150 tons monthly. Contract will be completed in May 1944. Chilean Army Workshops now negotiating new and larger contract.
Chilean Government has not commented on proposed Chilean quota as yet but we believe that with amendments above suggested the quotas are in order and may be notified to the American Government missions in Latin America.
We suggest that all missions be instructed to make every effort to complete the assignation of allotments and forward the import recommendations to this Embassy before January 31 and in subsequent quarters at an earlier date. We also suggest that the joint nature of approval of this Embassy and Chilean Government be stressed and that it be impressed upon missions that the responsibility for issuing recommendations carries with it the necessity for justification of end uses under the copper limitation agreement. This will greatly assist this office in obtaining approval of Chilean Government to exports of refinery shapes requested through other missions and contribute to the smooth operation of copper limitation agreement.
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