452.11/215: Telegram
The Diplomatic Agent and Consul General at Tangier (Blake) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 15—7:22 a.m.]
10. Referring to my No. 311 of July 12, 1928,23 and to the Department’s No. 525 of April 11, 1929.24
[Page 493]My Spanish colleague here intimated to me that Spanish High Commissioner desired to interview me regarding joint report on American claims in Spanish Zone with view to immediate settlement and I accordingly paid an informal visit to General Jordana in Tetuan yesterday. The settlement of the claims rests entirely with him and he pressed me urgently for some concessions under the promise of an immediate settlement. After a four hour conversation I agreed to recommend that the Department accept the deletion of the item of 80,000 pesetas for usufruct on the claim of Kittany and various other minor reductions in other claims aggregating a deduction of about 125,000 pesetas on the total findings. The three claims subject to reservation will be pursued in discussions subsequent to payment of remainder and following recognition of Spanish Zone as suggested in my memorandum for Ambassador Hammond.24a Spanish Government is to lay these propositions shortly before the Department and I strongly recommend their approval owing to the advisability of an early establishment of normal political relations with the Spanish Zone and also because the Spanish request for the concessions was based upon fair and reasonable grounds and they will prejudice no intrinsic rights or principles. For the purpose of expediting matters settlement of claims should be effected by Jordana and myself in Tetuan following which I would telegraph the Department in order that recognition of the Spanish Zone might take place without delay.
Copy of this telegram mailed to Embassy, Madrid.
- Ibid., p. 349.↩
- Not printed; it transmitted a copy of despatch No. 1163, February 28, 1929, from the Chargé in Spain, supra.↩
- Foreign Relations, 1928, vol. iii, p. 360.↩