A Independência dos Açores vista dos EUA em '75

A propósito do 6 de Junho e da temática da independência dos Açores, veja-se esta mensagem do cônsul dos EUA em Ponta Delgada para o Secretário de Estado, datada de Agosto de '75, que foi originalmente classificada de "confidencial".

"SUBJECT: ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF AZORES

1. DOCTOR NORMAN BAILEY AND EDMOND TONDU OF BKW ASSOCIATES, INC.,
WASHINGTON BASED MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT FIRM, ARE IN THE AZORES
PERSUING ECONOMIC STUDY STARTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO AT REQUEST OF
CAETANO GOVERNMENT. BAILEY SAYS FIRM NOW ATTEMPTING COMPLETE
STUDY IN ORDER TO PERSUADE WHATEVER GOVERNMENT MAY EMERGE IN AZORES
TO RETAIN FIRM AS ECONOMIC ADVISORS. BAILEY AND TONDY HAVE BEEN
TALKING TO GOOD NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN PONTA DELGADA AND DANGRA.
MANY ESPECIALLY ON TERCEIRA, HAVE ASSUMED THEY ARE CIA AGENTS.

2. BAILEY BELIEVES AZORES ECONOMICALLY VIABLE AND PROFITABLE TO
LISBON. HE DESCRIES PRESENT ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LISBON
AND AZORES AS 18TH CENTURY MERCANTILISM. BAILEY SAYS INDEPENDENT
AZORES WOULD FACE IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS OF LACK OF COMMUNICATIONS,
TRANSPORTATION AND NEED FOR FINANCIAL CREDITS AND NEW MARKETS.
TRANSPORTATION COULD BE CHARTERED, CRIDITS COULD BE OBTAINED AND
MARKET EXISTS FOR AZOREAN PRODUCTS. HOWEVER, ALL COMMUNICATIONS
GO THROUGH LISBON WHICH WOULD PRESENT A DIFFICULT
PROBLEM. BAILEY AND TONDU BELIEVE THAT ECONOMICALLY AZORES
WOULD BE BETTER OFF INDEPENDENT THAN AUTONOMOUS SINCE AUTONOMY
WILL TAKE MONTHS TO ESTABLISH AND COULD BE REVOKED AT ANY TIME.
IT THUS WOULD NOT PROVIDE STABILITY NECESSARY FOR INVESTMENT
AND GROWTH.

3. BAILEYN CREDIT MANAGER OF BANCO PORTUGUESE DO ATLANTICO WHO
DESCRIED RECENT IN DEPTH STUDY OF TOTAL COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AZORES AND CONTINENTAL PORTUGAL. REPORTEDLY
GOP HAS NOT PERMITTED PUBLICATION OF STUDY WHICH
CONCLUDED THAT CONTINENTAL PORTUGAL GAINS ABOUT 280 MILLION
DOLLARS PER YEAR FROM AZORES.

4. COMMENT: WE DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE MAY BE AWARE OF
BANCO PORGUGUESE DO ATLANTICO STUDY BUT KNOWLEDGE OF ITS
CONCLUSIONS WOULD FUEL FIRES FOR INDEPENDENCE.
BAILEY AND TONDU'S VIEW ON AZOREAN ECONOMIC VIABILITY ALSO WOULD
ENCOURAGE INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT IF WIDELY KNOWN.

5. FOR LISBON: IF EMBASSY CAN OBTAIN COPY OF BANCO PORTUGUESE DO
ATLANTICO STUDY, PLEASE SEND CONSULATE COPY."

Resta saber se os açoreanos tinham conhecimento desse estudo do Banco Português do Atlântico.