DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation
Date: December 5, 1949
Subject: Italo-Yugoslav relations
Participants: The Secretary The Italian Ambassador Mr. Achilles, WE
Copies to: S/S, EUR, EE, Embassy Rome, Embassy Belgrade, Trieste
During a general conversation I took occasion to advise the Ambassador that Bebler had approached Assistant Secretary Perkins to ask as a preliminary to a Yugoslav approach to the Italians on Trieste, that we urge the Italian Government to accept a compromise solution of the problem. I said that Mr. Perkins had made clear our position that we stood by the March 20, 1948 proposal and that, while we would welcome a solution of the problem satisfactory to Italy and Yugoslavia, we felt that the matter could be solved only directly between the two Governments and that we had no intention of seeking to influence either of them. I said that Ambassador Dunn would also be advising Count Sforza of the Yugoslav approach and our reply.
The Ambassador expressed appreciation for this information, referred to his Government's hope that its current economic conversations with the Yugoslavs would contribute toward better relations and expressed the personal opinion that, while Trieste was an Italian city which obviously could not be ceded to Yugoslavia, a just and lasting solution of the problem would be worth considerable sacrifices.
Dean Acheson
WE:TCAchilles:bsm