Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, Volume II

881.00/7–1845: Telegram

No. 1351
The Ambassador in Spain (Armour) to the Acting Secretary of State¹

confidential

Madrid, July 18, 1945—1 p.m.

1548. British Chargé² has been advised by Castillo that Alba was last week instructed to inform British FonOff that Spanish Govt considers that Russia by refusing to associate itself with statutory regime in Tangier forfeited its rights under act of Algeciras and that present Soviet claim to participation is consequently without juridical basis, for which reason Spain cannot consent to such participation. (My 1452 July 5 repeated London 433 Paris 366 Tangier 79³) Castillo admitted however Spain could in fact do nothing to prevent Russian participation but stated that should USSR be admitted to Tangier only course open to Spain, in view of large Spanish colony and extensive Spanish interests in that zone (repeated to London as 456 Paris as 398 Tangier as 82), would be to renounce statute⁴ and revert to capitulatory regime.

Armour

1. The gist of this message was included in telegram No. 65 of July 19 from Grew to Byrnes (file No. 800.00 Summaries/7–1945).
2. Reginald James Bowker.
3. Document No. 668, printed in vol. i.
4. i. e., the regime established for Tangier by the convention signed at Paris, December 18, 1923.