701.6211/1642: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:51 p.m.]
1288. American interests—Germany. Department’s 145, January 19, and 355, February 6, and Legation’s 699, February 21.63 Swiss Foreign Office note March 27, states contents of Department’s 145, communicated to the German Government January 31, and transmits copy of German Foreign Office note verbale of March 20 in reply as follows:
“Portuguese Government has been requested assume guarantee that all German exchange groups from America be exchanged on Portuguese territory against exchange groups of corresponding countries of American continent arriving from German territory.
In view of exceptional difficulties in arranging a simultaneous disembarkation German diplomats at Lisbon and entrance into Portuguese territory of trains with American groups German Government has declared itself in agreement that American groups may cross Portuguese border as soon as trains reach frontier. Arrival of ship would then be awaited in Lisbon or in another place to be [Page 350] agreed upon. Portuguese Government has been asked to assume guarantee requested of it that no member of American groups leave Portugal before all German groups have disembarked.”
- Telegrams No. 355 and No. 699 not printed.↩