Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XIII, Western Europe and Canada

335. Telegram From the Embassy in Portugal to the Department of State⁰

Lisbon, December 18, 1961, 1 a.m.

654. I was summoned to Foreign Minister’s office at 11 p.m. tonight. He had been closeted with Prime Minister Salazar and returned to his office a few minutes after I arrived. I was unaccompanied but Secretary General Archer and Director Political Affairs Themido were present “to record conversation”.

Nogueira’s demeanor reflected gravity of situation. He was calm and deliberate as he delivered following message to be transmitted immediately to Washington: Portuguese Government had considered carefully message I had given him yesterday re US attitude toward possible meeting of SC to consider Goa question. He then repeated very accurately message I had given him (Department telegram 553)¹ received last night. He noted particularly that US would consider itself obliged to treat possible introduction of broader issues in accordance with policy previously adopted in UN (i.e., “colonial aspects”). Portuguese Government had been prepared to request SC action immediately upon outbreak of hostilities in Goa, but he said final decision had yet to be made. This decision would probably be made tonight or tomorrow morning. Meanwhile government had taken decision to inform US Government through me that if Goa issue is considered by SC and US Government should adopt same position with respect to Portugal which it had adopted in previous UN actions this year, Portugal would be obliged to reconsider its relations with US and this would necessarily involve a complete change in status of those relations. He did not mention NATO relationship or Azores base, but there was no misunderstanding as to exact meaning of his declaration.

I said his message was of gravest importance and would be received with great concern in Washington. While I had not been authorized to reveal contents Department telegram 554,² I felt it necessary to inform Nogueira that US had made clear to GOI position it would take in event latter resorted to force over Goa. I reminded him that yesterday we had been considering question of preventative meeting of SC; now hostilities had actually taken place. I would not, however, make any definitive reply to his remarks and limited myself to saying I would transmit message immediately to Washington.

Nogueira said he hoped US Government would understand Portuguese Government’s position. He had often warned us that pursuance of our present policy re Portuguese overseas territories could have dire consequences in Portugal itself and could well lead to “Castro-type” regime here. Portugal, he said, did not want support of US if it were to lead to Portugal’s destruction.

Our reaction to this declaration of intention will be of utmost importance to Portuguese in making their decision re UN action. Department’s instructions urgently requested.³

Elbrick

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 753D.00/12–1861. Secret; Niact. Repeated to New Delhi, London, Madrid, Paris, and USUN.
1. Telegram 553, December 16, reported that the United States was not encouraging Portugal to bring the question of Goa to the United Nations, but, if it did, the United States would support the calling of a Security Council meeting. If Portugal did bring the issue to the United Nations, it would be impossible to prevent discussion of the more general question of Portuguese overseas territories, and on this issue what the United States said and how it voted probably would be “unpalatable” to Portugal. (Ibid., 753D.00/12–1661)
2. Telegram 554, December 16, reported that at a meeting that day with the Indian Ambassador, Ball had made very clear the concern of the U.S. Government over the Indian threat to resolve the question of Goa by force. (Ibid.)
3. On December 19 Tyler telephoned Rusk to say that the Portuguese Ambassador had called to express the thanks and appreciation of Nogueira for U.S. support in the Security Council during the discussion on Goa. “He said that the Portuguese Government realizes the United States did everything it could within the limits open to it.” (Ibid., Rusk Files: Lot 72 D 192, Telephone Conversations)