124.842/136: Telegram
The Chargé in Italy (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 17—3:40 p.m.]
271. My 267, July 15, 6 p.m. I was handed an informal statement at the Foreign Office today of which the following is a translation.
- 1.
- The officials of the former foreign legations in Addis Ababa are to be regarded as private individuals receiving special consideration; as a matter of courtesy and for the time being consent has been given to permit them to continue to benefit by the privileges they formerly enjoyed.
- 2.
- Following the ordinance of July 8 which suspends the use of radio transmitting instruments, the ex-legations may use for radio communications the government radio which performs international service.
- 3.
- The continuance or otherwise of the measure prohibiting the use of private radio transmitting stations will depend upon circumstances and upon the provisions which the Governor General of Addis Ababa may in the exercise of his responsibility deem appropriate to adopt.
When I referred to the matter of the entrance of the Italian military authorities on the American Legation premises which I had already pointed out to the Minister for Foreign Affairs I was informed that an investigation of this incident had been instituted and was assured that every possible courtesy would be shown to the American representatives in Addis Ababa. I was also told that the foregoing provisions had been adopted as applying to all legations in Addis Ababa and that they had been found necessary in view of the use which had been made of certain foreign radio stations there and which the Italians regarded as irregular.