852.79662/9–2244: Telegram
The Ambassador in Spain (Hayes) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 24—5 p.m.]
3219. In the course of my interview with the Foreign Minister today, he stated that as a result of his discussions with General Franco the Spanish Government had resolved to stop all air traffic in merchandise and financial assets between Spain and Germany and to prevent any German agents from entering Spain by air and to this end rigid instructions were being issued to the Spanish customs officials at Barcelona and Madrid.
He went on to state that on the other hand Spain did not see its way clear to stopping all air traffic to and from Germany inasmuch as this was now the only means available to Spain for contact with the Spanish Embassy and Consulates in Germany and for the repatriation from Germany of Spanish citizens, some of whom were very aged and infirm. He requested that I communicate this explanation to you and expressed the hope that you would appreciate the humanitarian aspect of it.
I countered by citing specific instances as to the nationality of the passengers now being carried by Lufthansa planes and the exaggerated number of German diplomatic pouches and requested more drastic action.
Lequérica, faced with these data of which he took written note, said that he still hoped that some more decisive action might be taken; that in any case the amount of diplomatic mail to be transmitted would be severely limited and the number of trips of the German planes similarly would be rigidly restricted. He indicated he would present the whole case anew to Franco and I requested that at the same time he represent anew to him the importance and urgency of this matter.