860A.01/7–1044: Telegram
The Consul General at Naples (Brandt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:01 p.m.]
374. From Kirk. British High Commissioner for Italy16 has now informed ACC (Department’s 306, July 417) that Great Britain has never declared war on San Marino but has not formally recognized its neutrality. Foreign Office, therefore, considers that treatment of San Marino should depend on whether it is still independent and neutral or has puppet government set up by Germans or Fascist [Page 294] Italians and whether its territory is being used by them for military purposes. Foreign Office also considers that AMG18 should be set up in San Marino only if local government has ceased to exist or is clearly enemy puppet and if neutral government cannot be got to function.
In reply to inquiry from Acting Chief Commissioner ACC19 as to attitude of American Government in premises, I have informed him of statement contained in Department’s 306, July 4 to effect that Department has considered that a state of war does not exist between the United States and San Marino and in Department’s 324, July 7 that the United States has generally recognized San Marino as an independent state, and added that I was not in a position to state my Government’s views on additional points raised in foregoing communication of British High Commissioner.
As this entire question has been handled in Rome I have been transmitting paraphrases of Department’s messages referred to above and copy of Department’s 305, July 4, to Tittmann and Reber20 in Rome.
Repeated to Algiers. [Kirk.]