CZECHOSLOVAKIAN TRADE PRACTICES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00415R007500160006-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 9, 2002
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: March 7, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

CLASSIFICATION CONF:1 EI'ar'LrjL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT NO.
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
PLACE
AOQU@RED
DATE OF
INFO.
Approved For Release 2002/08/15 : CIA-RDP83-00415R007500160006-5
Guat emala/C z echo sl ovak is
Czechoslovakian Trade Practices
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DATE DISTR 7 March 1951
NO. OF PAGES 1
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SUPPLEMEN
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10 An advertisement placed in the Guatemalan daily newspaper, El l:mi.rcial,
on 27 January 1951, by Frank Polasek, a Czech resident in Guatemala,
addressed to coffee exporters, stated that he would pay sixty-five dollars
per quintal for coffee of the "oro" class. This price would be paid F.O.B.
Puerto Barrios "in exchange for merchandise of Czechoslovakian production."
The present market price in New York for coffee of the "oro" class is said
to be about fifty-six dollars per quintal, which would mean that Pol+asek
would be offering about nine dollars per quintal over the world market
price, so long as the seller would accept Czechoslovakian goods as payment.
20 Frank Polasek, who represents various Czechoslovakian firms in Guatemala,
is believed to be in good standing with the present regime in Czechoslovakia.
Officials with whom source discussed the matter stated that this is the
first time since 'World War II that such a practice on the part of the Czechs,
or any others, has come to their attention0 Sines Polasek has not dealt in
coffee before, it is hardly believed likely that this is a private venture
of his own; rather, it would seem more probable that the arrangements had
been worked out with the Czech authorities. Source did not learn what dis-
position was to be made of the coffee,, and whether it is to be sent to
Czechoslovakia or re-sold at a loss on the world market is still unknown.
CLASSIFICATION COtznErrrYeT
vsKS DISTMBUTION
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Approved For Release 2002/08/15 : CIA-RDP83-00415R007500160006-5