740.00119 Control (Italy)/5–2945: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)
1175. The following message from the President is for transmission to Marshal Stalin:
“I have received your message of May 2360a and am glad you share my conviction that the future of the Venezia Giulia territory should be determined during the peace adjustment. Only by the maintenance of these principles which take into account legitimate aspirations of the peoples concerned can we insure peaceful and orderly development in the future.
Since sending you my message on May 20,60b Marshal Tito has informed both the United States and British Governments that he agrees to the establishment of Allied Military Government under the authority of the Allied Supreme Command in the Mediterranean. In order that the Allied Commander may fulfill the responsibility we have placed upon him in this respect he must have adequate authority to enable him to carry out this task and to safeguard the interests of all concerned. Therefore we must leave to him the determination of the method in which civil administration will be carried out and the number of Yugoslav troops under his command which may be maintained in the area. He is prepared to utilize Yugoslav civil administration which in his opinion is working satisfactorily, but must have authority to change administrative personnel in his discretion, particularly in centers which are predominantly Italian.
I am confident that we can work out a solution along these lines and am instructing the American representative in Moscow to furnish your Government with the details of the proposal which the British and American Governments are presenting to Marshal Tito in the confident assurance that we can reach a satisfactory settlement.”
Telegraphic instructions to Belgrade containing the note and draft military agreement for presentation to the Yugoslav Government have been repeated to you. Please inform the Soviet Foreign Office of these communications.
Sent to Moscow. Repeated to Belgrade as no. 113, Caserta as no. 532, and London as no. 4274.