Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The British Commonwealth; The Near East and Africa, Volume III

740.0011 European War 1939/12997b: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Italy (Phillips)

Washington, July 3, 1941—5 p.m.

472. For Tittmann.²² Apostolic Delegate at Beirut informed Engert on June 20 that at the request of the Lebanese (local Arab) Government, the Delegate intended to telegraph the Vatican proposing that Beirut and its environs be declared a neutral area by the belligerents. The Delegate inquired whether Engert would telegraph the American Government in the same sense.

The Department informed the Embassy at Vichy of the above, and requested the Embassy to bring the suggestion to the attention of the French Government, stating that the American Government would of course be pleased to lend its facilities for effecting any arrangement which might serve to prevent the destruction of lives and property in Beirut.

Embassy at Vichy reported June 28 that the French Government had not received from the Vatican any word of Apostolic Delegate’s suggestion.

You are authorized, in your discretion, to ascertain informally whether the Vatican intends to act on the Delegate’s suggestion. It should be emphasized that the American Government does not desire to take the initiative in the arrangements for declaring Beirut an open city, and is merely lending its facilities when they may be appropriate or helpful.

Welles

22. Harold H. Tittmann, Jr., Counselor of Embassy in Italy and Assistant to Myron Taylor, Personal Representative of President Roosevelt to Pope Pius XII.