701.6210/52a: Circular telegram
The Secretary of State to Diplomatic Representatives in the American Republics
The Department has received through several of its missions in the other American Republics requests that the diplomatic and consular representatives of the Axis powers in certain of the American Republics and the diplomatic and consular representatives of those Republics in Axis countries be included in any arrangements made for the exchange of diplomatic and consular representatives of Axis powers in the United States and diplomatic and consular representatives of the United States in Axis countries.
Whether or not such a request has been made by the Government to which you are accredited, you should, if that Government has broken or should subsequently break relations with any of the Axis powers state that this Government will be glad if desired to endeavor to include in the arrangements which it is endeavoring to make for the exchange of its own diplomatic and consular representatives in Axis countries and of the diplomatic and consular representatives of the Axis countries in the United States any of the official personnel of the other American Republics which have already broken or may subsequently break relations with the Axis powers in exchange for the official personnel of such powers in such other American Republics.
The Department is now drawing up specific proposals for transmission through the Swiss Government to the Japanese,3 German and Italian Governments with respect to the exchange of this Government’s own diplomatic and consular representatives in Axis countries and of the diplomatic and consular representatives of the Axis countries in the United States. If the governments concerned desire it, those proposals will be made to include, among the officials to be exchanged, the representatives of Japan, Germany and Italy in the American Republics which have broken or may break relations with Japan prior to the carrying out of such arrangements and the representatives of those republics accredited to the Japanese, German and Italian Governments. The Department is unable to state at this [Page 287] moment just what it may be possible to do in this respect. It is, therefore, suggested that until these arrangements are further advanced the governments concerned should keep in comfort in their Legations or homes, as is being done in Washington, the diplomatic and consular staffs of the countries with which relations have been severed.
The Department will communicate with you further in this connection as soon as possible, giving you for communication to the governments concerned the text of the proposals that it is now formulating.