Office of the Historian

750G.00/9–154: Telegram

No. 252
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom1
top secret
Washington, September 1, 1954—7:06 p.m.

1245. Limit distribution. Urtel 1093.2 Department prefers not call in Tarchiani in view his ineffectuality such matters but will of course urge Italian acceptance if he calls.

Meantime Durbrow is instructed make strongest representations at highest level urging Italian acceptance. He should point out that far from representing a Yugoslav ultimatum proposal represents concessions forced on Yugoslavs by four months tripartite negotiations followed by three additional months hard further negotiations and that if this result had been achieved by Italians in seven months of bipartite negotiations with Yugoslavs starting from bargaining position they took in February Italian Government would surely consider that negotiations had been eminently successful.

On assumption Italian rejection Thompson is instructed immediately seek British collaboration in preparation of compromise settlement which might be presented Italian-Yugoslav Governments by US–UK Governments.

Smith
  1. Drafted by Hooker and cleared with Barbour, Jones, Thurston, and Merchant. Repeated for information to London, Rome, and Belgrade.↩
  2. Supra.↩