§ 31. Mr. George Jegerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the closing of the British Consulate at Saragossa.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Mayhew)On 23rd November last the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested the withdrawal of Senor Gil our Vice-Consul at Saragossa. Upon instructions His Majesty's Chargé ďAffaires asked the Spanish Government to explain their action: he was informed that they did not consider Senor Gil a suitable person to be acting as Vice-Consul for a foreign Government, but that since he was a Spanish citizen they felt under no obligation to give further details. This attitude of the Spanish authorities unfortunately left us 2039 no alternative than to withdraw Senor Gil. This was done on 16th December; and the Vice-Consulate has been closed.