852.6363/799: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Spain (Hayes)
1017. Your 1042, April 22, 6 p.m. The Department still has no assurance that aviation gas for Iberia will be forthcoming, although the whole problem is still under consideration. It may be that your British colleague will not request Spain to grant landing rights to British airlines. Regardless of whether he does or does not make such a request, and within your own discretion, you may approach the Spanish Foreign Office informally on the subject of securing rights for American commercial airlines to land in Spain for the purpose of discharging and loading passengers, mail and express, as well as rights for such lines to transit Spain en route to other foreign points. In other words the Department is not interested in securing cabotage rights within Spain for American airlines but merely the right to engage in international traffic. If you decide to speak to the foreign office on this subject it would be better to approach the matter without tying it into the question of aviation gasoline.
Leaving aside any question of postwar rights, the rapidly changing situation in the Mediterranean might make it desirable for us to have landing rights in Spain. In any event the reactions of the Spanish Government will be of interest to the Department and particularly any counterproposals it may have to make.