701.6511/1284a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Switzerland (Huddle)19

404. American interests—Italy. Your 340, January 31 and 383, February 3.20 Department assumes that an agreement in principle has been arrived at with the Italian Government for the exchange of all official personnel and that apart from necessary technical details including principally the communication of data regarding the exchange vessel and its course and the obtaining of assurances of safe conduct based upon its details when fixed, the only necessary step remaining is the exchange of lists of the officials to be embarked on the vessel here and to be transported to Portugal by the Italian Government.

For its part this Government not having received from the other American Republics which have broken relations with or declared war on Italy all the Italian official personnel whose repatriation is known to be contemplated is not yet in a position to communicate a complete list. It would be glad, however, to receive from the Italian Government a list of the American personnel both of this Government and of the other American Republics awaiting repatriation particularly as the parts of those lists relating to the other American Republics must be referred to them for approval before this Government can extend its approval to the entire list.

A separate message will be sent regarding the possibility of exchanging non-official persons.

Hull
  1. Similar telegram on the same date, regarding American interests in Germany, to the Chargé in Switzerland (No. 403).
  2. Neither printed.