852.79662/11–244: Telegram

The Ambassador in Spain (Hayes) to the Secretary of State

3638. In the course of a conversation with the Foreign Minister today I both protested against the use to which the Lufthansa planes were being put and again requested the complete and permanent stoppage of this air service with Germany. Lequérica said he was still desirous as he had been for some time, of complying with our request but what stood in the way of doing so was the necessity of Spain’s maintaining contact with Spanish citizens and interests in Central Europe. He indicated that, while he appreciated the point I had made that Spanish couriers with Spanish diplomatic pouches could mow go overland to Switzerland, that did not satisfy the need of a means of transporting Spanish citizens to and from Central Europe. He stated that Spain would gladly institute a special Iberian service from Spain to Switzerland if the United States, Great Britain and ‘France would agree to it, and that just as soon as he had word of favorable action on our part he would stop the German line.

Likewise the President of Iberia Airlines has inquired as to the procedure for obtaining permission for the establishment of air service between Barcelona and Zurich with control stop in France. Swiss have told him they are agreeable to its institution.

It will be recalled that last year we specifically requested Spaniards to arrange for such a service and made provision for it in aviation gasoline agreement of September 20, 1943.85 British and French missions, which made representations last week to Spanish Foreign Office regarding continuation of Lufthansa service, do not, for their part, perceive any objection to a Spanish-Swiss line, but are uninstructed by their Governments in this respect.

Your instructions would be appreciated as well as details regarding procedure for obtaining permission to operate, if you likewise have no objection to the establishment of such an airline under proper security control.

Hayes
  1. See note No. 562, September 20, 1943, from the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs to the American Ambassador in Spain, Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. ii, p. 707.