322. Memorandum of Conversation0
SUBJECT
- Talk between President Johnson1 and Senator Cesare Merzagora, President of Italian Senate
PARTICIPANTS
- Italy
- Senator Cesare Merzagora
- Foreign Minister Piccioni
- Italian Ambassador Fenoaltea
- United States
- President Johnson
- Secretary of State Rusk
- Assistant Secretary Tyler
- Ambassador Adlai Stevenson
President Johnson expressed his appreciation of President Segni’s sending the President of the Italian Senate, Senator Merzagora, as his personal representative on the sad occasion of President Kennedy’s funeral. He assured the Senator that we were proud of our relationship with Italy, a country that has made such great progress as a member of the Alliance. The President returned President Segni’s greetings as conveyed by the Senator and thanked him for Segni’s letter which he would read with interest.2
[Page 892]Senator Merzagora, after saying that he was deeply touched by President Johnson’s words, emphasized that he was not only confident, but certain, that the line which had been pursued in Europe by President Kennedy, a line of attentiveness, vigilance and generosity, would be continued in the period ahead.
President Johnson assured him that it would, and if there were any changes they would be for the good.
Senator Merzagora went on to say that while Italy was going through a process of political transition at the moment,3 he could assure the President that there would be no change in the relationship and in the feelings between Italy and the United States, a feeling of friendship and consideration for the United States in all those organizations in which our two countries share a common cause.
Secretary Rusk added that, as we try to decide how to write the coming chapter, Italy’s steadfastness in NATO and as an ally constitute a source of strength for the free world, and this will be of extreme importance for the future. We thus rely heavily on Italy. In this context, he was looking forward to seeing Foreign Minister Piccioni at the forthcoming NATO meeting in two or three weeks.
Senator Merzagora recalled his words to the Secretary in Rome last summer, to the effect that Italy would be unfailingly watchful that no change could come about to affect either the existing structures of common policy or Italy’s absolute, unconditional, unqualified friendship with the U.S. He yielded to Foreign Minister Piccioni for confirmation of what he had said.
Foreign Minister Piccioni confirmed that he was very solidly behind everything the Senator had said. He pointed out that his authority is “shaken” now, on the eve of a “complete change” in the Italian Government. He could, however, absolutely assure the President that the new government would be absolutely firm in the principles of foreign policy that have been upheld over the past two years; and above all, it will not fail to reaffirm Italy’s friendship toward the United States in all the organisms that form the living structures of our relationship. The Minister concluded by saying that political talks between Italy and the United States could be broadened in January (a reference to the State visit of President Segni scheduled for January 13–18, 1964).
President Johnson closed by saying that this meeting had been a great reassurance to him.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, Pol-It-US. Confidential. Drafted by Frank and approved in the White House on December 2. The conversation took place during the President’s reception at the Department of State.↩
- President Kennedy was assassinated November 22 in Dallas, Texas.↩
- Not found.↩
- On November 11 Prime Minister Roumor presented his resignation to President Segni. The following day Segni asked Aldo Moro to form a new government. Moro announced that he would seek Socialist Party participation in this government. Moro completed his negotiations on November 23. The program of the new government, announced November 25, underlined Italy’s loyalty to the Atlantic Alliance and its readiness to participate in the MLF.↩