852.00/4029: Telegram
The Third Secretary of Embassy in Spain (Wendelin) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received December 9—12:09 a.m.]
X–379.…
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Madrid authorities are well aware of our policy not to give asylum to Spaniards in Embassy at Madrid and for this reason have accordingly agreed to maintain our guards without change although replacing them from time to time at other missions. When the Embassy staff removed to Valencia I made a point of obtaining a written order from the Government that our present guards would not be removed or replaced. The original of this order is in the possession of the custodian. Although in view of the above circumstances and the reputation we have earned of absolute non-interference in Spanish internal affairs I do not believe any difficulties of the kind described [Page 782] will affect our Embassy, I have instructed custodian to remind military authorities of order maintaining our guards without any change and to express the hope that necessary precautions will be taken to avoid any unfortunate difficulties affecting the Embassy.
Since public hostility toward foreign missions in Madrid is directed against those giving asylum to Spaniards generally believed to be active enemies of the regime, it might be advisable to make public a statement of the fact that in accordance with our policy in this regard, no Spaniards have been given asylum in our Embassy. I would appreciate the Department’s opinion in this regard and suggested statement if deemed advisable.8
- In telegram No. 215, December 9, 6 p.m., the Department informed him that It considered it inadvisable to make any public statement regarding American policy on asylum (352.0022/28).↩