832.76/11–2944: Telegram
The Chargé in Brazil (Donnelly) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 30—1 a.m.]
4260. Department’s 3523, November 25, 11 p.m. A member of the Embassy staff and Commodore Harold Dodd, Chief of the U.S. Naval Mission to Brazil, conferred with the Minister of Marine this afternoon. The Minister gave categorical assurances that our Navy could continue the operation and control of the supplementary radio stations at Recife, Bahia and Belem after the termination of the war with Germany. He said that he would be glad to confirm this in writing to Admiral Munroe22 when the latter arrives here on December 10.
The Minister added that Brazil does not consider that the war is terminated with the cessation of hostilities in Europe: that Brazil would continue to cooperate fully with us until Japan is likewise defeated and world peace restored.
No formal agreement covering the present use of the radio stations in question exists. This is covered by a request made by the Embassy to construct them and the subsequent authorization (Embassy’s [Page 598] dispatches number 9336, December 4, 1942, and 9421, December 11, 1942).23
No mention was made to the Minister of Marine concerning the postwar use and custody of these stations as in the Embassy’s opinion, in which Commodore Dodd concurs, we do not believe that the initiation of such negotiations at this juncture is opportune. Consideration might be given as to the advisability of eventually bringing this matter up in the joint Brazilian-American staff negotiations on postwar military cooperation. Dispatch follows.