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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S government

TO BE KEPT UNDER LOCK AND KEY.

It is requested that special care may be taken to ensure the secrecy of this document.

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SECRET.

*0.S.(40) 251(J.P.) Also Paper No. J.P. 53).

MAR CABINET.

CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE.

THE ROLE OF PORTUGAL.

COPY NO.

NO: 22

Note by the Joint Planning Sub-Committee submitting

a Draft Report for the Chiefs of Staff.

On the 26th February, the Foreign Office forwarded certain correspondence to the Secretary of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, together with two lengthy despatches whic have passed between hord Halifax and His Majesty's Ambass at Lisbon on the subject of Portugal.

2.

The gist of these papers which, in view of their volume we have not attached, is to the effect that the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs is seriously concerned with the attitude which Portugal has recently adopted in response to requests from His Majesty's Government. It appears that Portugal, from fear of Germany, wishes to take refuge in an attitude of strict neutrality, and is unwilling to exercise that benevolence towards the Allies which the Secretary of State considers it is our right to expect.

3.

As instances of Portuguese failures to meet British requests the following are quoted:-

(a) Refusal to permit the passage of small numbers

of Colonial croops (total 50) through Portuguese

East Africa.

(b) Refusal to suppress meteorological information

from the Azores and Lisbon.

(c) Refusal to agree to the export of five trawlers

for use by the Admiralty.

(a) Suppression of the publication of Foreign trade

statistics.

(e) Failure to reply to a request to prevent the use of the Azores by Germans going by sea from the United States and continuing their journey by air in order to avoid examination by British naval patrols.

251

(J.P.)

1.

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