881.00/1384
The Ambassador in France (Herrick) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 15.]
Sir: With reference to my telegram No. 56 of March 2 reporting that the conversations which had been going on for a year between France and Spain concerning Tangier would culminate with the signature of an agreement on the following day, I have the honor to inform the Department that an agreement was in fact signed on March 3, comprising the points mentioned in my said telegram.
There is transmitted herewith an extract from the Journal des Debats of March 5 giving the text of a communiqué issued by the French Foreign Office, as well as the summary of a communiqué given out by the Spanish Government.21 It will be noted from the Quai d’Orsay statement that pursuant to the procedure decided upon in November 1926 between the French, Spanish, British and Italian Governments, the two latter will be notified of the present agreement and invited to participate in a further conference concerning Tangier, which it is now contemplated will be held in Paris in the near future.
I presume that the text of this accord will not be given out until after agreement with London and Rome, but I will of course transmit copies as soon as they are available.
General satisfaction is expressed at the signature of this accord and it is anticipated that the adhesion of the British Government will not occasion any great difficulty. Less smooth sailing is to be expected in the case of Italy, but in the meantime the prevailing feeling appears to be one of optimism, including the hope that the present signature will facilitate Spain’s reentry into the League of Nations.
[Page 371]The Embassy at Madrid has forwarded me its telegram No. 29 of February 21 to the Department, as well as the Department’s answering telegraphic instruction (number and date not specifically given, though I imagine it was Department’s No. 21 of February 29). If the four-power conversations are in fact to be held in Paris, I should appreciate it if the Department would instruct me as to what action it wishes me to take or what attitude to adopt.
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩