DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation
DATE: May 15, 1952
SUBJECT: Proposed Duty on Tunafish imports
PARTICIPANTS: Ambassador Fernando Berckemayer, Peruvian Embassy S - Mr. Acheson OSA - Mr. Door
COPIES TO: CP - Mr. Corse AR - Mr. Cale American Embassy, Lima
Ambassador Berckemeyer called, at his request, to protest regarding the legislation now pending in the Senate which would establish a temporary duty of three cents per pound on fresh and frozen tuna imports pending a study of the competitive position of the U.S.
The Ambassador first stated that the President and Foreign Minister of Peru both sent their sincere thanks to me for the clear and vigorous statement I made at my press conference yesterday regarding the pending legislation. I expressed my pleasure on receiving this message and asked the Ambassador to convey my thanks to the President and the Foreign Minister.
The Ambassador then remarked that his government was seriously concerned about the effect the proposed duty would have on the Peruvian fishing industry. Stating that the industry is the fifth in importance in Peru with a substantial investment of both Peruvian and American capital, the Ambassador feared that a duty here, the principal market, would cause considerable unemployment and unrest. He emphasized the social unrest likely to be caused.
I told the Ambassador that I could not argue with him as I understood his point of view and was sympathetic to it. I told him that we too were seriously concerned with this legislation and were doing
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what we could to forestall its enactment. I told him that I had spoken to President Truman about the problem and found him sympathetic to our viewpoint. I told the Ambassador that we would carefully study the note his Foreign Minister had sent our Embassy at Lima and would continue our efforts to attain a satisfactory solution. I also said we still hoped that the bill would not be passed but could give no assurance on that score.
Before departing, the Ambassador commented that his government fully recognized the interest and activities of the State Department but could not, in a formal note, separate it as a portion of the U.S. Government. I agreed with him that such a distinction could not be made. The Ambassador left two copies in Spanish of the note that had been addressed to our Embassy at Lima.
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