811.34553B/5–2346: Telegram
The Ambassador in Portugal (Baruch) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
[Received May 23—4:50 p.m.]
461. For Hickerson from Culbertson. In answer second paragraph Deptel 510 May 2 [21], British have not started detailed negotiations, leaving it to us to spearhead the issue. Salazar is not going to talk any details of an agreement until we have some so-called political formula. He already has that with the British, who, of course, are interested almost entirely in the civil side and who have no June 2 deadline since they are staying on at Lagens under some oral understanding. O’Malley continues to talk to us quite personally about some agreement brought in under the Alliance umbrella but we continue to tell him that that is not possible. His idea seems to be that they would be the front and we would pay the bills. We have no particular reason to feel, however, that O’Malley is not playing the game entirely straight so far as the Portuguese are concerned.
A telegram in answer to paragraph 1 Deptel 510 is in process of preparation as well as a telegram covering a conversation this afternoon with O’Malley. [Culbertson.]