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Approved~ 9/21/6V  ',, '5 S P 23  P11 4 00  DATE:  .. /:-tfzi).i<--) i-$.:1 ~ /lf/. September 2, 1965 Times J p.m.  
SUBJECT:  Courtesy call by Spanish Minister  
PARTICIPANTS:  Mr. Alonso Vega, Spanish Minister of the Interior Mr. Merry del Val, Spanish Ambassador Mr. Sagaz, Spanish Foreign Office  
COPIES TO:  The SecretaryMr. E.J. Beigel, WE  
S/S G S/P EUR  INR CIA White House AmEmbassy MADRID  

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The Secretary welOJmed Alonso Vega on the occasion that brought him here as head of the Spanish delegation to the quadricentennial celebration of the founding of St. Augustine, Florida. The Secretary said that he had appreciated the opportunity to talk with General Franco three years ago, and that he hoped to visit Spain again soon in order to bring Franco up to date on developments in the military and annaments field, technical matters in which the General was very interested. 
The Minister remarked that we must realize what a prudent man Franco · is; since he has been in power so long his opinions are to be respected. 
The Secretary said that Spain and the United States are close working partners, and that he is optimistic regarding our common outlook. He said that the Communist forces will have to give up their foreign adventures in the long run. Meanwhile we very much appreciate Spain's contribution and recognize that we have a common bond. 
The Minist~r said that he looked upon the free world from a soldier's viewpoint and that he too is optimistic. He said that we must be realistic about Communism and recognize that only a strong nation like the United States can deal with it. He said that all countries believing in ,freedom are firmly behind us. 
The Secretary said that we have had many opportunities to test out 
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the Communists duri~g the past twenty years--such as in Iran, the Congo,and Korea--and have discovered that they are not three meters tall. 
The Minister replied that Communism can only survive through expansion and this is why all other countries must be solid in their backing of the United States. 
The Secretary said the tra.gedy is that since 1947 the United States has ,, had to devote $800 billion to defense because of Communist threats. He said thatJit is almost a miracle that the American people bear such a burden, which they do in good spirit. 
The Secretary suggested that the Minister visit the space center at Cape Kennedy while he is in Florida. 
The Minister responded that he would be most interested in doing so. He said he had great admiration for these American programs which reminded him of the Spanish voyages of discovery four centuries ago. He said that our·work in this field benefits all of humanity, and that he greatly admired the American heroes who fly into space. 
The Secretary said that he had asked fifty Foreign Ministers if it was necessary for the United States to engage in this space effort and that all but one had said yes, that we must not permit the Soviets to monopolize space capabilities, not let such capabilities fall into the hands of those who would destroy us. The Secretary said that it is unnerving to watch a television broadcast of a space launch when one contemplates the consequences of a possible failure in full view of the entire world. He said that an imtx>rtant by-product of our space activity derives from the new advances in communications, miniaturization and metallurgy that enter the mainstream of the world economy; that the products of research in the space program in many ways are more important than the flights themselves. 
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