Office of the Historian

193. Memorandum of Conversation1

Washington, January 28, 1966.

SUBJECT

  • Gibraltar

PARTICIPANTS

  • Spain
    • The Marques de Merry del Val, Spanish Ambassador
    • Nuno Aguirre de Carcer, Minister-Counselor, Embassy of Spain
  • U.S.
    • Assistant Secretary Leddy
    • Frank V. Ortiz, EUR:WE

The Ambassador called to inquire about the Stewart-Rusk conversations and to discuss Spain’s position on the Gibraltar dispute.2

Mr. Leddy said the Gibraltar dispute had been mentioned briefly during Mr. Stewart’s visit. However the United States had made clear [Page 391] its desire not to become involved in this dispute. The Ambassador said he hoped the United States would comprehend Spain’s point of view which, he said, was not one of hostility to the defense efforts of the West since Spain’s contributions to that effort were well known.

Mr. Leddy said Spain’s view of the matter was receiving very careful consideration by the Department. We would soon be in a position to reply. Mr. Leddy asked what purpose Spain had in mind in raising the Gibraltar problem in this form.

The Ambassador replied that Spain’s purpose was to put the Gibraltar dispute in its proper context, namely as a bilateral dispute between Spain and the UK. Spain wished it to be clear that Gibraltar could not be considered by Spain as a NATO base.

  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964-66, POL 18 GIB. Confidential. Drafted by Ortiz.↩
  2. A copy of the memorandum of Rusk’s January 27 conversation with Stewart regarding Gibraltar is ibid.↩