Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 423: Telegram
No. 796
The Secretary of
State to the Department of
State1
priority
Secto 4. I called on Martino at Italian Embassy this afternoon. Vanoni, Quaroni, Rossi, Longhi and Magistrati were present. Merchant was with me.
Martino opened conversation by saying that he and Vanoni were disturbed by failure American aid discussed with Vanoni in Washington to materialize. I stated I was unfamiliar this subject but would speak to Stassen. I also suggested Vanoni see Stassen tomorrow which he will do.2 From questioning Minister apparently referred to both agricultural surplus and OSP.
We discussed briefly impending Council discussion of MC 483 and Martino mentioned his intention to refer, in statement before Council tomorrow, to Italian belief that after ratification Paris Agreements further effort should be made to explore possibility of constructive discussions with Soviets.
I congratulated Martino on recent Italian Cabinet anti-Communist action. He said they intended move vigorously on this front but expressed some apprehension over possibilities for trouble which Communists possess by reason of control of labor unions. He then said that Italian Government believed it would be helpful if in near future some high-ranking US military officer could visit Rome for few days and by his presence and advice to Scelba give them further courage in their anti-Communist campaign.4
From Martino’s remarks and tendency of conversation to lag I gained impression that his desire to see me was for prestige rather than substantive reasons.
At close of talk I spoke to Martino alone and said that President would be happy to invite Scelba to visit Washington early next year and that I was anxious to ascertain whether or not such an [Page 1718] invitation would be welcome.5 Martino expressed obvious gratification and said that he could assure me that the Prime Minister would very much like to visit Washington. I said I could not be certain as to the time and inquired as to Scelba’s plans. Martino said Scelba was going to London Feb 15 and that early in March would certainly be convenient for him to come to Washington. I said that I would discuss this matter with the President immediately upon my return and would be in futher communication with him on the subject.
- Drafted by Merchant and repeated to Rome.↩
- No record of a Stassen–Vanoni conversation on Dec. 17 has been found in Department of State files.↩
- Reference is to NATO document MC 48, “The Most Effective Pattern of NATO Military Strength for the Next Few Years.”↩
- In telegram 2002 to Rome, Dec. 22, Merchant asked for Luce’s advice on what, if any, followup should be made regarding Martino’s request for a high-ranking U.S. military officer to visit Rome. (765.58/12–2254) In her reply, telegram 2339 from Rome, Dec. 24, Luce said that Brosio, speaking for Martino, had brought up the same subject and that she planned to ask Scelba directly what they had in mind when she saw him on Dec. 27. (765.58/12–2454)↩
- In telegram 178 from Paris, sent to Rome Dec. 15 at 10 p.m., Dulles noted that he had previously discussed the Scelba visit with President Eisenhower, who had approved the idea subject to Luce’s opinion that Fanfani would not regard such an invitation as an attempt to build up Scelba at Fanfani’s expense. Dulles referred to his meeting with Martino scheduled for the following afternoon and asked for Luce’s answer before then. He stated that she could, if necessary, reach him by telephone at Ambassador Dillon’s residence at lunchtime. (Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 422) In telegram 279 from Rome, sent niact to Paris Dec. 16 at midnight, Luce replied that she was sorry that she had failed to make it clear that the Embassy in Rome had already weighed the question of Fanfani’s reaction and concluded that Scelba’s visit would be most useful to U.S. interests. She would also encourage Scelba to follow through on the recently announced anti-Communist campaign. (Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 419)↩