Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, The American Republics, Volume VI

840.51 Frozen Credits/10472: Airgram

The Ambassador in Colombia (Lane) to the Secretary of State

Bogotá, May 15, 1943—1 p.m.
[Received May 22—3 p.m.]

A–396. Reference Department’s Confidential Instruction No. 1240 of May 5, 1943,²⁴ regarding Vatican interest in the Banco Francés e Italiano.

For the Department’s information, I have discussed the information contained in the instruction under reference with the Minister of Hacienda, who appeared to appreciate fully the Department’s policy in not intending to consent to the deletion of the Banco Francés e Italiano from the Proclaimed List on the basis of the financial interest which the Vatican has acquired in that bank. He commented, in fact, that the acquirement of such interest appeared to him to be a cloaking operation.

Lane

24. Not printed.