740.00119 (Potsdam)/5–2446
No. 235
Briefing Book Paper
Italian Participation in International Organizations
We wish British concurrence with the principle that the United States and Great Britain should take the lead in bringing Italy back into international life without awaiting a definitive solution of Italy’s status. As one example we favor Italy’s being permitted to join the United Maritime Authority now, whereas the British have indicated the view that she should not be allowed to do so until she has signed a peace treaty. Italy should also be brought back into the International Labor Organization, whose Governing Body at its recent meeting in Montreal recommended favorable consideration of Italy’s application by the general assembly next fall.
The question of Italy’s relation to the World Security Organization should be clarified. At San Francisco the American view that Italy should be invited to attend the Conference was not pressed in order to avoid injecting any further complications into the discussions. In reply to our inquiry regarding British views on the subject, we were informed that the British in principle were sympathetic but that (a) the Soviets would probably insist on bringing in Rumania and Bulgaria if Italy entered while (b) British would demand that Portugal—who is a neutral and not a cobelligerent state—be brought in if Italy were. We believe that Italy should enter this world organization at the earliest possible date. It is therefore recommended that the United States request British concurrence in our intention, if and when Italy declares war on Japan, to support officially and publicly Italy’s admission to the world security organization.
Steps of this kind need not prejudice Allied claims in the final settlement, and at the same time they would do much to raise Italian morale and strengthen the more moderate elements in Italy.