1415Z 10 June 1967 transmitted message text from
American Embassy, Madrid to
Secretary of State

1. MFA OFFICIAL CALLED EMBASSY TO SAY "HIGHEST LEVELS"
GOS VERY CONCERNED OVER PRESS REPORTS ON "USS LIBERTY"
INCIDENT FROM US SOURCES STATING VARIOUSLY THAT SHIP DEPARTED
ROTA JUNE 2; SHIP ATTACHED TO JOINT SPANISH-US BASE OF ROTA;
AND SHIP'S USUAL BASE IS ROTA. MADRID EVENING DAILY EL
ALCAZAR CARRIED MOST EXTENSIVE ARTICLE ON INCIDENT IN JUNE
9 ISSUE BYLINED ROSS MARK FROM WASHINGTON.

2. MFA OFFICIAL EXPLAINED THAT GOS PREOCCUPATION STEMMED
FROM CONCERN THAT SPAIN WOULD BE ASSOCIATED IN PUBLIC
OPINION WITH OPERATIONS ANY US UNIT BASED JOINT USE BASE
SPAIN. HE SPECIFICALLY ASKED IF NEWS REPORTS ON THIS SCORE
CORRECT. AFTER CHECKING WITH ROTA, EMBOFF TOLD HIM USS LIBERTY
NOT BASED ROTA, HAD CALLED THERE FOR ABOUT ONE DAY EARLY
JUNE MERELY TO REFUEL AND THAT TO BEST OUR KNOWLEDGE THIS
FIRST AND ONLY VISIT OF SHIP TO ROTA. MFA GRATIFIED WITH REPLY
AND INTENDS ASK EL ALCAZAR CARRY CORRECTION ATTRIBUTED TO
"OFFICIAL SOURCES".

3. REQUEST DEPT CAUTION OFFICIAL USG SPOKESMEN OBSERVE
GREATEST CARE IN ANY REFERENCES TO SPAIN DURING
CURRENT M. E. CRISIS. WALKER
BT