701.0010/44: Telegram
The Chargé in Switzerland (Huddle) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 10—3:55 p.m.]
974. American interests—exchange officials. Department’s 597, March 4. Swiss Foreign Office advises Swiss Minister Berlin telephoned he delivered communication regarding Swedish steamship Drottningholm to German Foreign Office yesterday March 9 in concert with Swedish Minister who did not receive instructions from his Government until then.
Swiss Minister Rome delivered communication Italian Foreign Office March 5. He reports today that his Swedish colleague has not received instructions from Swedish Government to make any communication to Italian Government regarding ship. He further reports that in informal conversation with Italian Foreign Office officials latter remarked that Drottningholm was registered at 11,000 tons and they did not believe its small size would permit United States Government to repatriate Axis personnel plus 500 additional Italians and Germans (as offered in Department’s 542, February 2551).