852.6363/999: Telegram
The Ambassador in Spain (Hayes) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:40 p.m.]
2148. My 2082, August 10, 1 p.m. The written guarantee that Iberia would not carry Axis nationals to Spanish Morocco was given by an official of the Foreign Ministry who is interpreted [interpreting?] instruction received from the Minister. The latter requests that we accept his oral guarantee in the same sense pointing out that such an assurance in writing would become known to the Axis and would be unnecessarily embarrassing to the Government. I of course attach equal value to his oral as to his written assurance and I have accepted his oral assurance.
The Minister is submitting the other conditions to the appropriate Spanish authorities and hopes to give me a final reply Monday.55 Meanwhile he is very anxious that some aviation gasoline be loaded on September 6th and I suggest I be instructed to inform him that such loading is authorized as soon as he agrees to remaining conditions.
- August 16.↩