Office of the Historian

881.00/1382: Telegram

The Ambassador in Spain (Hammond) to the Secretary of State

Madrid, March 5, 1928—11 a.m.
[Received 4 p.m.]

33. Department’s 21, February 29, 7 [3] p.m. Chief of Diplomatic Bureau states that Spain has been successful in obtaining minimum Spanish demands regarding administration and policing of Tangier zone and implied that Mussolini has signified willingness to adhere to 1923 convention19 providing suitable compensation in other quarters is given. He said that any definite information regarding Tangier and Morocco must come from Primo as Foreign Office had no jurisdiction but he said that he would ask Primo informally regarding the truth of rumors concerning conference and whether such a conference might try to modify the Algeciras Act.20 He said that he had heard rumors of a conference in which Italy would participate but could give me nothing definite pending instructions from Primo. Failing more satisfactory information, does not Department desire me to discuss this matter with Primo as I see no objection to such a course?

Counsellor of the French Embassy informs me that a definite understanding has been reached between Briand and Spanish Ambassador in Paris along lines of Embassy’s 29, February 21, 6 p.m., [Page 370] but that no definite convention has been signed as yet. He however expects formal signature shortly. He said that the French-Spanish agreement would then go to England and Italy for approval, adding that French Government had changed its point of view regarding exclusion of Italy. He said that he believes that reports of an international conference were entirely premature and that in any case Malaga had not been officially considered. Referring to the position of the United States he stated that French Government hoped that the new French-Spanish accord might serve as a basis of agreement for all interested powers.

Hammond
  1. French text and English translation printed in Great Britain, Cmd. 2096 Morocco No. 1 (1924): Convention Regarding the Organisation of the Statute of the Tangier Zone, Signed at Paris, December 18, 1923.↩
  2. For text of the General Act of the International Conference of Algeciras, signed April 7, 1906, see Foreign Relations, 1906, pt. 2, p. 1495.↩