CFM Files
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Director of the Office of European Affairs (Matthews)
| Participants: | Mr. Nenni, Italian Minister (without portfolio) |
| The Secretary | |
| Mr. Matthews |
Mr. Nenni called at his own request on the Secretary this morning. He said that in as much as he expected soon to take over the portfolio of Foreign Affairs in the Italian Government he was very anxious to make Mr. Byrnes’ acquaintance. The first question he desired to raise was that of the extreme importance to Italy of receiving economic assistance from the United States. He would be very happy, he said, to visit Washington with some of his technicians to look into the whole question with the American authorities. The Secretary said that he felt it would be desirable to postpone his visit a little since a number of the high officials of our Government are absent from Washington at the present time but that he did think it would be useful for Mr. Nenni to talk to Mr. Clayton and Mr. Thorp, who are here at the Conference. Mr. Nenni said that he had not planned to go to Washington before October or November and that he would be very happy to see Mr. Clayton and Mr. Thorp if the Secretary would arrange it.
He then said that his policy would be to make every effort to improve relations between Italy and Yugoslavia but in this connection he wished to discuss the problem of Trieste. In the first place he wondered if it would not be possible to enlarge the Free Territory of Trieste to include, if possible, Pola. In fact, he hoped that the whole area west of the suggested American or British Lines would be included in the Free Territory.7 The Secretary explained our long efforts to obtain Trieste for Italy and subsequently to increase the Free Territory area. He pointed out that Molotov had first insisted that the Free Territory be limited to an area around Trieste itself which did not even include all of the steetcar terminals. [Page 47] The Secretary had felt the most important thing was to have the Free Territory contiguous with Italian territory but under Mr. Molotov’s plan, in view of the fact that a small area north of Trieste has largely Slovene inhabitants down to the coast and that this be given to Yugoslavia, this would be prevented.8 It was impossible to obtain both Pola and a contiguous frontier between the Free Territory and Italy and the Secretary had considered the latter more important. He also described the probable results of a failure to reach agreement and conclusion of separate peace treaties with Italy. He said that the American Government was obligated to support the agreed decisions on this point of the four Foreign Ministers. If any opportunity, however, arises where he can do something to help the Italian situation with regard to the area, he will be happy to do so. Mr. Nenni indicated that he would endeavor through other Delegations to have some changes made in the Free Territory area and the Secretary said that he certainly could not object to such efforts on Mr. Nenni’s part.
As a second point with regard to the Free Territory, Mr. Nenni asked whether it could not be limited to a period of 10 years to be followed by a permanent decision with regard to the area. The Secretary explained that he had given much thought to this matter and that a number of people in the American Delegation felt that the lot of the Italian inhabitants of the area would be much happier if the Free Territory were set up permanently under the guarantee of the United Nations. He said that otherwise there would be constant agitation, border incidents, and attempts on the part of the Yugoslavs to indulge in large scale infiltration in order to obtain the required majority preparatory to a permanent territorial award at the end of 10 years. He, himself, felt that a 10-year limitation could only serve as an encouragement to instability and agitation as well as adversely to affect the economic situation of the area. Mr. Nenni appeared to understand the reasoning behind the decision but made no statement of concurrence.
Mr. Nenni then brought up the question of the Colonies in so far as the agreed formulas provide for complete renunciation of Italian rights and interests therein. He said that psychologically this was very wounding to the Italians and that it would greatly help if some modification could be introduced in the formula omitting the declaration of Italian renunciation and merely leaving the Colonies under the present administration for a period of one year and subsequent determination by the United Nations. The Secretary said that he was impressed with the reasonableness of this view and that he would undertake to see what could be done with regard thereto.
[Page 48]Mr. Nenni then spoke of the severity of the military limitations upon Italy and inquired whether at least some time limit could not be placed thereon. It would be inconsistent, he felt, for Italy to be kept in a state of permanent and helpless disarmament after a period of time especially once she has been admitted to the United Nations. The Secretary said that he was in agreement with this view and was taking steps to see what could be done about it. Mr. Nenni expressed his appreciation.
Before leaving, Mr. Nenni reiterated his intention to do all that he possibly could to improve relations with Yugoslavia and likewise with France and Austria. He emphasized, however, that in order to be successful in this, Italy required economic help and the question which most interested his people at present was their need for materials and labor. The Secretary said that he would arrange for Mr. Nenni to talk to Mr. Clayton about this.
- The American and British Lines mentioned here refer to the Italo-Yugoslav frontier proposals submitted by the United States and the United Kingdom at the Council of Foreign Ministers. The lines proposed by the United States, United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union were originally described, in Annexes to the Summary Minutes of the 73rd Meeting of the Commission on the Italo-Yugoslav Boundary, April 28, 1946, which are printed in vol. ii, p. 148. The lines proposed are shown on the map facing p. 152. At its 33rd Meeting, July 3, the Council agreed upon the internationalization of Trieste. The “French Line” was approved as the boundary between Yugoslavia and the Free Territory and between Yugoslavia and Italy. For the United States Delegation Record and Record of Decisions of the 33rd Meeting, see ibid., pp. 730 and 751, respectively. The decisions of the Council were incorporated in articles 3, 4, and 16 of the draft peace treaty for Italy, printed in vol. iv, p. 1.↩
- Molotov’s proposal, document C.F.M.(46) 178, dated July 1, 1946, is printed in vol. ii, p. 714.↩