125.691/18
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State (Long)
The Italian Ambassador2 called upon me today at his own request. He said that he had just been requested by his Government to advise the Department of State that all the governments were being requested to move their consulates from Palermo and Naples to a place as far north as Rome or farther north, and to a place which was not on the sea coast.
He said that he had been instructed to say that it applied to all governments and was not intended for any one government. He stated that in his opinion it was related to the bombardment of Genoa, and the possibility of a recurrence of that activity in other places, and that it might be for the safety of foreign consular officers.
I asked him if there were any further decisions on the part of his Government as to leaving a person or persons in charge of the files and buildings and suggested that it was a radical move. He said he understood his instructions to mean that the functions of the consulates would be performed in the consulates moved temporarily from the areas indicated.
He asked if I had any inquiries to make or any communication for his Government and I answered in the negative and said that I would consult with the proper authorities in the Department.
- Don Ascanio del principi Colonna.↩