possible to work out an agreement in the future, once the war is over,
which should protect adequately the two primary interests involved.
  Respectfully yours,                          EDWIN C. WILSON

819.7962/69
The Secretary of State to the Panatmadan Ambassador (Guardi'a)
                                   WASHINGTON, October 28, 1942.
  EXCELLENCY: I have the honor to refer to Your Excellency's note
no. D-571 dated August 4, 1942 and previous correspondence relative
to the erection at Albrook Field in the Canal Zone of a concrete con-
struction designed to serve as a new administration building for Pan
American Airways.
  I am pleased to note that Your Excellency's Government is fully
cognizant that the needs and dangers arising out of the present
world crisis require extraordinary measures of watchfulness and con-
trol over air activities which might endanger the defenses of' the
Panama Canal, and that it does not wish to place any obstacle in the
way of essential or required improvements of the airdrome at Albrook
Field. My Government appreciates this expression of the friendly
attitude of the Government of Panama and fully realizes, as Your
Excellency has stated, that the Republic has given most active and
effective cooperation in matters relating to the defense of the Panama
Canal, the American Hemisphere and the cause of the United Nations.
  Although no one can be sure of what the post war situation may
be with respect to the development of commercial aviation, the Com-
manding General of the Caribbean area believes that a permanent
administration building at Albrook Field will always be necessary
as a measure of military preparedness. He has stated that this will
be the case irrespective of whatever measures the Panamanian au-
thorities may wish to take with respect to the construction of a
national airport. To me this appears to be a reasonable and sound
statement and I am unable to see why the Panamanian Government
need have any apprehension over the erection of a permanent ad-
ministration building at Albrook Field. As Your Excellency is no
doubt aware, this building is a project sponsored and supervised by
the War Department and financed by the Government of the United
States to meet additional needs brought about by the war.
  The Department has once more given careful consideration to the
statements contained in Your Excellency's note of August 4 relating
to the possible applicability of existing treaty provisions to the matter
under discussion. However, the same conclusion has been reached
as previously set forth, particularly in the Department's notes of
August 5, 1911 74 and June 23, 1942 to the Ambassador of Panama at
74 Not printed.



PANAMA



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