751.52/12–2245: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Caffery)
5992. Embtel 7133 Dec. 12. Following is literal text of note which you should with any minor changes you think necessary, deliver to FonOff.
“The Embassy of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign. Affairs and, on instructions from its Government, has the honor to refer to the Ministry’s Note of December 12, 1945, on the subject of relations with Spain and to make the following reply.
The United States Government agrees that consultation between the Governments of France, the United Kingdom and the United States, as the countries most directly interested, is of great advantage and welcomes the opportunity afforded by the Ministry’s Note.
There should be no doubt, either generally or on the part of the Spanish Government and the people of Spain, as to what the position of this Government has been, namely, that, because of the origins and nature of the present regime in Spain, and because of its close associations with the enemies of the United States, there is entirely lacking [Page 707] a basis for that confidence which must be the foundation of satisfactory relations between two countries. The reasons for this position were stated in a letter addressed by the late President Roosevelt on March 10, 1945 to the Honorable Norman Armour, then the newly appointed Ambassador to Spain. That letter was made public on September 16 [26], 1945, and the United States Government intended thus to confirm the policy stated therein.
As the Ministry knows, the United States supported the Resolution with respect to Spain passed on June 19, 1945, by Commission I of the United Nations Conference on International Organization at San Francisco.49 This position was reiterated in the Declaration made by the Governments of the United States, the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics at Potsdam on August 2, 1945.
The American Ambassador at Madrid recently applied for permission to retire and was granted that permission. He has now left Madrid and it is not the intention of the United States Government to appoint an Ambassador to Spain at this time.
The United States Government is therefore prepared to take part in an informal exchange of views with the Governments of France and the United Kingdom at any time agreeable to these Governments to discuss frankly and realistically all aspects of this question. Such an oral and informal exchange of views could take place in Paris, Washington or London.”
Sent Paris as 5992, rptd. London 11037, Madrid 2068.
- See vol. i, p. 1358.↩