665.001/9–2451: Circular telegram
The Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Offices1
278. US, UK, and France will release at 12 noon Washington time Wed Sep 26 simultaneously in Washington, London and Paris, Declaration by UK, France and US re Ital Peace Treaty. Text of this Declaration is contained in immed fol tel.2
You are instructed to concert with your Brit and Fr colleagues who will receive similar instrs from their respective FonOffs in informing govt to which you accredited this proposed release. Any procedure for carrying out these instrs which you may work out with ur Brit and Fr colleagues will be acceptable. The action informing govt shld be timed so that no more than 6 hrs advance notice will be provided. Brit have indicated desire inform Commonwealth signatories directly on our behalf thus action on this instr not required by recipients this tel those countries.
In addition to providing text of Declaration to appropriate official of govt to which you accredited, you shld supplement text with oral statement along fol lines:
(1) It is hoped that other countries, specifically country to which you are accredited, will publicly signify their approval this Declaration and will be prepared take similar action.
[Page 674](2) The permanent restrictions and discriminations now in existence which are wholly overtaken by events or have no justification in present circumstances are deemed to include the spirit as reflected in the Preamble, Art 15 to 18, and Art 46–70 of the Ital Peace Treaty including Annexes XII and XIII insofar as they relate to these arts. If the Itals so request in response to the Declaration, the US will be prepared to relieve Italy of all obligations to the US under these arts and to affirm that the spirit reflected in the Preamble no longer affects the friendly relations between the two countries. The US is not prepared, however, to take action beyond renunciation of the above mentioned provisions.
(3) It is presumed that Ital Govt in reply to the Declaration will send notes containing an Ital request to all signatories.
(4) Upon receipt of an Ital request the US, UK and Fr propose to consult with the other signatories prior to sending definite acceptance. Ital note of confirmation of this acceptance will constitute an exchange of notes which will have the effect of de facto revision of these provisions of the Ital Peace Treaty insofar as the individual relations between Italy and each country exchanging notes are concerned.
FYI we envisage process of consultation will take about 6 weeks to 2 mos.
(For Belgrade only: Supplementary instrs re above to Trieste will follow)
- Drafted by Hilton and cleared with Bonbright, AF, NE, SOA, GTI, NA, L/EUR, UNP, EE, and BNA. Sent for action to Belgrade, New Delhi, Athens, Addis Ababa, Brussels, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Karachi, Baghdad, and The Hague; repeated to Paris, London, Rome, Pretoria, Wellington, Canberra, Ottawa, and Trieste.↩
- Circular telegram 279, September 24, is not printed (665.001/9–2451). For the text of the declaration as it was issued on September 26, see Document 317.↩