852.00/8526: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in Spain (Thurston) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 11—8:45 a.m.]
1056. The British Chargé d’Affaires has informed me that he advised the Foreign Office today that in his opinion it would now be appropriate, in so far as Government Spain is concerned, to present a proposal for the settlement of the Spanish conflict. I inferred that Azana has intimated that any reasonable proposal for discussion made by Franco would be accepted. Mr. Leche assured me however that his Government has as yet made no suggestion to the Spanish Government regarding peace arrangements.
The conviction is growing in Barcelona that peace is near, and there are many rumors regarding the reorganization of the Government preliminary to negotiations. There is however no evidence to support such conjectures—although it appears to be true that Negrín and Del Vayo are out of the country at the moment and this of course inspires the presumption that they are engaged in peace explorations.