DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation
DATE: January 5, 1951
SUBJECT: First Call of the Ambassador-designate of Spain
PARTICIPANTS: The Secretary The Ambassador-designate of Spain John F. Simmons, Chief of Protocol
Copies to: S S/S S/S-PR EUR WE
His Excellency Senor Don Jose Felix de Lequerica, newly appointed Ambassador of Spain, called on me today to present copies of his credentials and to request an appointment with the President.
After the usual exchange of courtesies, the Ambassador, a voluble talker, expressed his happiness at being appointed the first Spanish Ambassador after a gap of several years. He reminded me that he had previously not only been Foreign Minister of Spain but had recently spent much time in the United States as Ambassador-at-Large. He expressed his viewpoint, in regard to criticisms of the Franco Government and actions resulting therefrom, that as far as he was concerned there might have been some mistakes made by his own Government in the past, but that he believed that bygones should be bygones.
He promised to collaborate, in every way possible, with the United States Government in these times of crisis.
I wished the Ambassador success in his mission and assured him that I should at all times be glad to go into any questions of particular interest between our two countries.
After some further general conversation, the Ambassador departed.
S/S-PR:JFSimmons:jjm