740.00119 Control (Italy)/5–1645
The Italian Ambassador (Tarchiani) to the Acting Secretary of State
Note Verbale
The Italian Ambassador presents his compliments to the Honorable the Acting Secretary of State and, with reference to the note verbale N.2484 of May 14, has the honor to draw his kind attention to information contained in a telegram of his Ministry for Foreign Affairs, of May 13th, which has reached the Embassy yesterday, on the situation of Venezia Giulia which is becoming ever more serious.
The said telegram, among other reports, gives the following: “The regime of terror is continually worsening. Four thousand persons have disappeared from Gorizia. Seven hundred seem to have been shot in the Trieste region, Yugoslav partisans, who can hardly be considered as organized troops, have crossed the line of the Isonzo river. Anglo-American troops, so far, are passively witnessing the scene”.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs emphasized again the necessity that any decision of territorial character be left to the peace settlements and that the region of Venezia Giulia, within the borders of 1939, be meanwhile administered by the same Allied organization (AMG) which has administered the liberated areas of Italy and which alone can guarantee the pacific relations among the population of the said region.
The above mentioned instructions have been evidently sent to the Embassy before the Ministry for Foreign Affairs knew of the State Department’s declaration which publicly confirmed, in unequivocal and definite terms, the position taken on this grave question by the Government of the United States, which is substantially similar to that of the Government of Italy.
However, the Ambassador deems it fit to bring the above to the knowledge of the Honorable the Acting Secretary of State, with a [Page 1165] view of furnishing him with the available elements, concerning the dramatic situation which has arisen in Venezia Giulia, bringing so unjust and inhuman consequences on the population. Such a situation amply justifies the grave concern of the Government of Italy and the anxiety of the Italian people and therefore deeply affects the whole internal situation in Italy, which is going through such a delicate phase.
It is evident, therefore, in view also of the long desired European pacification, that it is very urgent to speedily carry out the decisions adopted, with so full a comprehension of the gravity of the situation, by the Government of the United States.