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PARAPHRASE OF TELEGRAM RECEIVED

FROM: AMEMBASSY, Madrid.
TO: Secretary of State, Washington.
DATED: June 20, 1944, 8 p.m.
NUMBER: 2147

SECRET

I am now informed by the Foreign Minister that a technical mission of three persons would be welcomed by the Spanish Government. The mission itself, I pointed out to him, would not conduct negotiations concerning details of landing rights for United States commercial airlines. Its purpose is to make a survey which is considered as necessary and preliminary to the negotiations of landing rights. The Embassy has previously rebutted the Air Ministry's contention that the Air Attaches attached to this Mission would be sufficient for such a survey. In this connection, we gave the Foreign Office to understand that it would be necessary for us to bring over persons having a thorough knowledge of the technical requirements of the trans-Atlantic air service, such as airport, maintenance, communications, and meteorological experts. Therefore, I urge that the Department ensure that the men composing the missions will, in these respects, be sufficiently qualified. It will be necessary to telegraph the Embassy as quickly as possible the names of the three persons selected, with [[strikethrough]]the[[/strikethrough]] indications of their affiliations, so that the Embassy may expedite matters, especially in connection with visas.

HAYES