711.52/437: Telegram
The Chargé at Tangier ( Elbrick ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:45 p.m.]
99. News of settlement at Madrid51 spread instantly through Tangier following BBC52 broadcast yesterday and was received with [Page 540] general satisfaction by everyone except presumably Germans and certain of their paid henchmen and sympathizers. Allied prestige has increased enormously overnight despite fact morning press was carefully censored by authorities to exclude any reference to expulsion German Consul here and German agents in Spanish North Africa reference being made only to a few already expelled. British paper Tangier Gazette appeared with several blank spaces on front page representing censored parts of Eden’s53 announcement and British Consul General54 making vigorous protest to High Commission’s delegate Tangier this a.m. (Orgaz55 has been visiting Melilla and eastern part of zone since May 1.) Other points of settlement (release of Italian merchant ships, submission question Italian warships to arbitration, withdrawal Blue Division,56 reduction wolfram exports to Germany and resumption oil shipments to Spain and colonies) adequately treated.
Chief reason for satisfaction over settlement is announced resumption of oil shipments which it is assumed will again permit circulation of private cars.
I have just seen Castillo57 who informs me that while he has not yet received any official information it is his opinion publicity has not been given to agreement regarding expulsion of Germans in the interest of public order. He admitted that agreement on this point was no secret and that majority of local population had already been apprised of it through Allied broadcasts but asserted that publicity here might give rise to disturbances among partisans of the belligerent powers. I pointed out the paradoxical nature of his assertion but could obtain no more satisfactory explanation from him. He said most important point was agreement regarding expulsion of Germans and that question of publicity is minor issue. I replied that it involved question of prestige and that both the other contracting parties had seen fit to make public all points of settlement. In reply to my question Castillo said he did not know whether publicity had been given to entire settlement in metropolitan Spanish press.
He seemed relieved that a settlement had been reached but said that most difficult phase, namely, actual expulsion of Germans has yet to be undertaken. He said no instructions regarding matter had yet been received by High Command from Madrid. I remarked that it was to Spain’s interest as well as ours to see to it that agreement is given effect by expelling Germans at earliest possible date. He agreed and observed they would have to be given 2 weeks or so to arrange [Page 541] their affairs before they leave. Their departure will hinge, of course, on Madrid’s instructions to Orgaz and his interpretation of such orders.
Repeated to Madrid.
- By an agreement between the United States and Spain concluded on May 2, 1944, the latter undertook, inter alia: to close the German Consulate in Tangier and to require its personnel to depart from Spanish or Spanish-controlled territory; to expel all German agents from Spanish or Spanish-controlled territory; to require the Japanese Legation in Spain to withdraw its Military Attaché from Tangier; and to expel Axis sabotage and espionage agents from Spanish-controlled territory and Metropolitan Spain. For agreement, see exchange of letters between the Ambassador in Spain and the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, May 1 and 2, vol. iv , first section under Spain.↩
- The British Broadcasting Corporation.↩
- Anthony Eden, British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.↩
- Alvary D. F. Gascoigne.↩
- Gen. Luís Orgaz, High Commissioner of Spain in Morocco.↩
- Spanish Volunteers with the German Army on the Russian Front.↩
- Cristóbal del Castillo, Spanish Consul General at Tangier.↩