FOREIGN RELATIONS, 1942, VOLUME VI



agreement regarding Galapagos would be signed until some [applar-
ent omission] under Lend-Lease.21
  This evening, after a friendly chat with the President, he observed
that he did not know precisely what his Defense Minister had in mind
but would let me know soon.
  He added that under his administration Ecuador has maintained a
good record for paying its obligations. He wished to continue and
not sign a lease-lend contract containing terms that Ecuador could
not meet. iHe requested that I cable that he wrote Ambassador Alfaro
at length asking some adjustment that would fall within Ecuador's
capacity to pay, but in reply had been told how very busy Washington
was.
  The President said he was anxious to collaborate and hoped he
would soon hear through Alfaro or me regarding a clarification of
terms. Ecuador was very anxious to get the four planes recently dis-
cussed and as much additional material as we could supply but
under the conditions outlined above.
                                                            IONG

822.24/165: Telegram
     The Minister in Ecuador (Long) to the Secretary of State

                                  QUITO, February 27, 1942-9 p. m.
                               [Received February 28-2: 45 a. m.]
  158. My 153, February 25, 9 p. m. The Minister of National De-
fense today informed Colonel Montesinos and Major Renshaw that
work might proceed without interruption on Galapagos Islands but
that he will not sign an agreement until some clarification had been
arranged regarding equipment to be received under the Lease-Lend
basic agreement.s"
  President Arroyo later confirmed this to me saying that Alfaro's
airmail letter due today might clear up the matter. He added that
as we prepared ourselves for the war and his people learned what
was going on at Salinas it naturally stimulated a desire for them also
to make preparations which was impossible without constructive help
from us. Montesinos is returning to Panama tomorrow and will in-
form General Andrews.
                                                            IONG

 "Lend-Lease Act of March 11, 1941; 55 Stat. 31. For correspondence
con-
cerning a Lend-Lease Agreement between the United States and Ecuador, see
Foreign Relations, 1941, vol. VII, pp. 291 ff.; for text, signed April 6,
1942, see
post, p. 379.
F For draft text of basic agreement, see Foreign Relations, 1941, vol. vi,
p. 139.



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