DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation
Date: December 8, 1949
Subject: Italy and Africa
Participants: The Secretary The Italian Ambassador Mr. Achilles, WE
Copies to: S/S Embassy Rome EUR Embassy London NEA Embassy Addis Ababa AF
The Ambassador called at his request to discuss a number of questions and began by expressing general satisfaction with the outcome of the General Assembly's discussion of the former Italian colonies. The decisions taken were not wholly satisfactory to anyone but he considered them to be generally the best solution obtainable and that a generally accepted solution was preferable to an easy victory for any particular party.
He referred to his Government's desire for the restoration of normal relations with Ethiopia. The Italian Government had been cured of any such "criminal" adventures as Mussolini's and of any desire for imperialism or colonialism in Africa. It did wish for normal, mutually beneficial relations with the Ethiopian Government and for progress in discussions with it of such matters as reparations and the frontier between Ethiopia and Italian Somaliland.
I expressed appreciation for his Government's attitude and said that it is particularly important that neither the Italian nor Ethiopian Government or any other government attempt to influence the eventual UN decision on Eritrea by agitation or any other unwise means. I expressed confidence that we could find means of giving similar counsel to the Ethiopians, of advising them of the Italian Government's attitude and, if possible, of being of assistance in facilitating the resumption of normal relations.
He also expressed his Government's desire to participate in the economic development of Africa, particularly through the settlement of excess Italian labor. He said that Italians were now going to South Africa and other parts of the Continent by twos and threes whereas they might usefully be settled in various places by the thousands. He hoped that current conversations in London would be productive of substantial results. He also believed that Point Four projects could be of assistance in this respect.
I said that we recognized the contribution which Italian labor could make to the development of Africa and that we would be glad to be of such assistance as we could.
Dean Acheson
EUR:WE:TCAchilles:ca