Office of the Historian

701.6266A/10: Telegram

The Acting Representative to the French Committee of National Liberation (Chapin) to the Secretary of State

Algiers, February 21, 1944—noon.
[Received 7:55 p.m.]

559. With reference to the treatment to be accorded Axis diplomats accredited to the Vatican after the occupation of Rome, the British Foreign Office has recently informed its Ambassador to the Holy See56 that any such diplomats found outside the Vatican City when Allied troops entered Rome would have to be given the immediate alternative of entering the Vatican City or leaving Italy under safe conduct. At the same time Foreign Office stated that it saw no reason why any diplomats already residing in the Vatican, least of all Allied diplomats, should move out to make room for Axis at present living in Rome proper.

[Page 1315]

This matter has been discussed informally with AFHQ57 and Makins58 and it is felt here that it would be preferable that Axis diplomats should be given safe conduct home without the option of entering Vatican City. It would appear that from a technical point of view they would lose diplomatic immunity if [apprehended?] outside the limits of Vatican City.

The Department’s instructions would be appreciated. Makins is telegraphing Foreign Office in same sense.

Chapin
  1. Sir Francis D. G. Osborne, British Minister to the Holy See.↩
  2. Allied Force Headquarters.↩
  3. Roger M. Makins, Assistant to the British Minister Resident (Macmillan) at Allied Force Headquarters.↩