740.00119 Control (Italy)/10–245: Telegram
The Ambassador in Italy (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 2—5:20 p.m.]
2926. In view of communiqué released by Council of Foreign Ministers London September 29 [19]2 regarding Italian Yugoslav border and future of Trieste Admiral Stone has recommended to Allied Commission that the [Supreme Allied Commander?] exercise authority granted him by article 1 of Belgrade agreement to establish Allied military liaison officers along west coast of Istria to observe and report situation and movements of population in that area during interim period awaiting arrival of committee of experts to determine ethnic line (last sentence Department’s 1714, October 13). In this connection Stone recommends all possible steps be taken to ensure that ethnic character of various localities of Venezia Giulia not be disturbed during interim period by deportation of Italian population or other means. According to Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stone reports that Italian Government has list of some 7,000 Italians alleged to have been deported from Yugoslav occupied Venezia Giulia in last 2 months while Yugoslavs are being moved hi and that if these reports are true, Council’s communiqué will probably have effect of accelerating this process. West coast of Istrian Peninsula between Trieste and Pola is believed to have densest population of Italian extraction and article 1 of Belgrade agreement provides that anchorages on west coast of Istria are under command and control of Supreme Allied Commander. Consequently Stone suggests that under this provision of agreement it would seem possible to establish military liaison officers along this coastal area to observe and report on conditions and movements of Italian population. Opinion is expressed that mere presence of Allied observers might be sufficient to prevent further deportations from that area prior to arrival of the mission of enquiry. In requesting steps be taken to establish such officers in area mentioned, Chief Commissioner points out they would have to be provided from military sources as none are available from Allied Commission, whose personnel is being rapidly depleted (as result of present redeployment measures in theatre).
Sent Department, repeated AmPolAd 720 and London 258 for Dunn.
- For text of communiqué released to the press on September 19, 1945, see Department of State Bulletin, October 14, 1945, p. 565.↩
- Not printed; in last sentence the Department inquired if Allied authorities were making any effort to restrict movement of pro-Yugoslav people made for the obvious purpose of strengthening Yugoslav claims to Italian territory (740.00119 Control (Italy)/9–1445).↩