DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation
DATE: December 8, 1950
SUBJECT: Exchange of Views with Italian Ambassador
PARTICIPANTS: The Secretary of State Mr. Brusasca, Italian Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs Mr. Tarchiani, Italian Ambassador Mr. Byington, WE
COPIES TO: S/S RA EUR WE NEA American Embassy, Rome S/MDA
Ambassador Tarchiani introduced Mr. Brusasca, explaining that Mr. Brusasca, Undersecretary of the Foreign Office, had been the head of the Italian Delegation in New York during the consideration of the final disposition of the former Italian colony, Eritrea. I said that the solution of federation which had been decided by the Assembly appeared to be a very satisfactory one and that Mr. Brusasca was to be particularly congratulated for his own part in achieving that result. I wished to express our appreciation for this handling of that problem which was indeed a difficult one for him.
Mr Brusasca said that he brought the salutations of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister and their appreciation for all that the United States was doing to help Italy. He said that the final decisions with regard to the former Italian colonies could not but be unhappy for Italy, but that his country now hopes that the Italian inhabitants of these areas will be fairly treated in the future and that Italy can count on the United States using its influence with the Negus towards that end. I said that we, of course, knew that this was of great importance and fully expected that the Italian inhabitants would be treated justly and that we would be glad to help in any way that might be fitting.
Mr Brusasca then referred to the discussions that had been going on at Lake Success with regard to the property rights of Italian inhabitants in Libya. He said that after lengthy discussions in the ad hoc committee and with the British, a solution had been agreed to between the Italians and the
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British delegation which represented a satisfactory compromise. Only the other day, however, he was informed by Mr. Allen, Head of the British Delegation, that the whole question would have to be forwarded to the Foreign Office and could not be regarded as finally settled until it had received Foreign Office approval. Mr Brusasca was very disturbed that if the Foreign Office answer were unsatisfactory it would undo all the good work which his government had been trying to do in settling the outstanding questions related to the former Italian colonies. He asked that the United States use its good offices with the British to prevent Foreign Office reversal of the agreement reached at the United Nations. I said that we would have to look into this to see whether there was any action which would be appropriate for us to take.
Referring to the present discussions with regard to the United Nations setback in Korea, the Italian Ambassador said that one preoccupation always in Count Sforza's mind was the fact that Italy was not a member of the United Nations. He said that Count Sforza would view with the greatest dismay any situation whereby Communist China should be admitted to the UN while Italy was still excluded. Should any such thought be under consideration he hoped that Italy's admission into the UN would be kept in mind. He pointed out that he did not need to say that the Italian Government was under no illusion as to the reasons why it had not succeeded in being admitted into the UN. I referred to our many and consistent efforts to obtain admission for Italy into the UN and said that it was our continuing strong desire that Italy should become a member of the UN without delay.
The Italian Ambassador said that in a conversation yesterday with Mr. Lovett they had reviewed the reaction in Europe, and particularly in Italy, to the developments in Korea. Ambassador Tarchiani said that the setback in Korea brought home all the more to the people in Italy the need for immediate rearmament. He said that the Italians, who were often very excitable in such matters, had received the Korean news with calmness. His suggestion was that if two or three shipments of arms could be sent now to two or three principal Italian ports it would have marked effect in inspiring public confidence and invigorating the Italian people to go ahead with their own rearmament. He pointed out that the arrival of these arms could be duly publicized with appropriate ceremonies attended by Ambassador Dunn. I said that his suggestion seemed to me to be a good one and inquired with regard to Mr. Lovett's reaction to it. He said that Mr. Lovett appeared to agree also that this would be a good idea and that he would look into them practical possibilities of carrying it out.
Ambassador Tarchiani said that he had received news from his government that it hoped to increase its defense effort with an additional appropriation of 200 billion lire and that on his return from Italy from this visit he hoped to bring back with him a satisfactory plan for the Italian rearmament which would provide a basis for American assistance. In connection with this, he inquired what my reaction would be should Prime Minister de Gasperi visit this country once the Italian rearmament and our assistance
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had been worked out. Such a visit would point up the Italian effort to the Italian people and have a very good effect. I replied that I would want to consider this matter further before making any decision as to what my views would be. The Ambassador pointed out that he was not speaking under instructions from the Prime Minister or his government, but it was merely a thought which had occurred to him. I said that the big need now was for all of us to go ahead with our rearmament effort; it was a matter involving our survival; and that it seemed to me the primary task of the leaders in each country was to stay there and push their rearmament programs ahead. I questioned whether visits as such would not take time away from that effort rather than help it to go ahead. In any event, I would want to consider the matter further before giving him an opinion.
Ambassador Tarchiani inquired with regard to the general situation and the conversations with Mr. Attlee. I said that the general situation as regards the North Atlantic Treaty Organization had improved with the agreement on the part of the French to German participation in the common defense. It was now a question of what the German Government in Bonn would do and it was indeed regrettable that we had had to lose momentum through the three months delay in working out the present solution. The setback in Korea pointed up the situation which faced each one of us and it was up to each nation to do as much as it possibly could to strengthen its defenses. We must lose no time or energy in going ahead as rapidly as possible. I said that Mr. Attlee's visit here had been very helpful indeed and it served to clear up a number of mis- conceptions on the part of the British with regard to our foreign policy and also we had had opportunity to discuss a number of problems which were troubling them, such as that concerning the distribution of raw materials necessary for the defense effort.
EUR:WE:HMByington,Jr:fa