852.00/5910: Telegram
The Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 4—9:40 a.m.]
315. Count Ciano sent for me this morning and gave me orally a résumé in the following sense of the Spanish situation and the relations of Italy thereto and requested me to communicate it to you.
[Page 350]The Italians have no political or territorial ambitions in Spain. Their sole aim is to prevent the establishment of a Communist form of government. They are interested only in the maintenance of the status quo in the Mediterranean and are firmly of the belief that the establishment of a Communistic state in the Mediterranean would in fact alter the status quo and create an alarming situation throughout Europe. With the status quo as their objective the Italian Government had signed the Gentlemen’s Agreement with the British Government in January last which was accompanied by an exchange of notes giving assurances as to the territorial integrity of Spain and in this connection Ciano mentioned specifically the Balearic Islands. He impressed upon me that this policy of the Mediterranean status quo is the only objective of Italy. Italy’s “empire” responsibilities are quite sufficient and Italians have no desire to add to them. French press and other circles, however, are now seeking to create the impression throughout the world that Italy’s ulterior purposes in Spain are in fact political and territorial. The French Government is in a precarious position domestically and as a means of strengthening itself is employing the dangerous means of alarming the French public with regard to the external situation. Such a policy is very dangerous Count Ciano impressed upon me. He reminded me that the recent British-French proposal has been found unacceptable by Italy and Germany and that the Italian-German counterproposal for the recognition of belligerency of both Spanish factions is being found unacceptable in British and French quarters. However, this latter proposal had only been considered as yet by the subcommittee of the Non-intervention Committee and would not come before the full committee until Wednesday or Thursday of this week. It should not be considered in the light of a formal and final proposal but merely as a suggestion put forward by the Italians and Germans in a friendly manner for discussion. Several European countries are in favor of this plan, notably Austria-Hungary, Poland and Albania. Italy had no present idea of retiring from the Non-intervention Committee and would continue to do its utmost to cooperate with the other members in finding a solution to the present difficulties.
In my opinion Ciano’s purpose in his communication to me this morning was to deny vigorously and officially what he regards as French efforts to complicate the situation by insinuations that Italy’s underlying purpose in the Spanish conflict is to secure political and territorial advantages in Spain.
Repeated to London, Paris, Berlin.