Office of the Historian

733.58/9–1951: Telegram

The Ambassador in Uruguay (Ravndal) to the Secretary of State

confidential
Montevideo, September 19, 1951—5 p.m.

113. Depgam 9, July 14.1 Emb considerably perturbed by continual delay concluding Air Force Mission contract which has been pending since early 1947. For most part delay has been caused by slowness Urug admin procedures and polit considerations. Urug Congressional approval obtained Oct 6, 1950 and Urug Emb Wash finally instructed July 6, 1951 negot contract. Almost three months have since expired and we unaware causes present delay. However, wish point out that initially US discreetly urged Urug request mission and since June 1947 have pressed Urug for prompt approval. Consequently any reluctance at this time on our part conclude mission contract or deviate from original offer could adversely affect our relations with Urug. We are continually urging Urug lend more effective aid UN forces Korea, ratify FCED Treaty,2 Bogota Charter,3 etc. They naturally question [Page 1619] delay our part in matter we have constantly urged as vital our mutual interests hemispheric defense.4

Ravndal
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. The United States and Uruguay had signed a Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Economic Development (FCED) on November 23, 1949; the United States Senate consented to ratification on August 9, 1950, but the Uruguayan Parliament had not approved the treaty. For further information, see the editorial note in Foreign Relations, 1949, vol. ii, p. 794.↩
  3. Reference to the Charter of the Organization of American States, signed at Bogota, April 30, 1948, which entered into force for the United States, December 13, 1951; for text, see Department of State Treaties and Other International Acts Series (TIAS) No. 2361, or United States Treaties and Other International Agreements (UST), vol. 2 (pt. 2), p. 2394. Uruguay did not ratify the Charter until August 17, 1955.↩
  4. On December 4, 1951, the United States and Uruguay signed at Washington an agreement providing for the establishment of a United States Air Force Advisory Mission in Uruguay; the agreement entered into force on the same date. For text, see TIAS No. 23G9, or 2 UST (pt. 2) 2517.↩