811.34553B/12–343
The President of the Portuguese Council of Ministers (Salazar) to President Roosevelt 18
Mr. President: I was highly gratified to receive the letter which Your Excellency was kind enough to address to me and which Mr. Kennan handed to me upon his return from Washington. It would not be excessive for me to tell Your Excellency of the great pleasure [Page 572] with which, through your own memories, we recall the personal contact of Your Excellency with the Portuguese lands, the good comradeship of the American forces with our people in the Azores during the last war, the loyal compliance with the obligations undertaken, and the good friendship which was reinforced and has happily been maintained.
Although the position of Portugal in the present conflict, by virtue of well-known circumstances, has been different than what it was at that time, we have been happy to be able to satisfy the desires of England with relation to facilities in the Azores and, through those concessions which we can base on the age-old existing alliance, to go some distance towards meeting the requirements which we know exist on the part of the United States.
I have explained at length to Mr. Kennan the reasons for which I find myself in entire agreement with Your Excellency over what I understand to be your thought—that in the world which will emerge from this war there must be established a closer collaboration between the nations of the Iberian Peninsula on the one hand and the United States and the nations of Central and South America on the other, and particularly Brazil, in special relation to Portugal.
In this realization, we shall not fail to take advantage of all the possibilities of deepening and fortifying our economic and cultural ties with a view to contributing with everything at our disposal to the work of harmonious, peaceful and progressive collaboration which is so much in Your Excellency’s thoughts and which forms part of our major desires and aspirations.
I should consider myself very happy if some day I could discuss personally with Your Excellency these subjects, to which I attribute the highest importance.
I should not like to end this letter without thanking Your Excellency, Mr. President, for so spontaneous and clear a renewal of the amicable intentions you have always entertained for my country. Even though these intentions were always to be expected on the part of Your Excellency, I should like to assure you, Mr. President, that your words were received with the highest appreciation.
With the assurance of my best wishes for the prosperity of your great nation, believe me, Mr. President,
Very sincerely,
- Original and translation transmitted to the Department by the Minister in Portugal in his despatch No. 20, December 3; received December 14.↩