CFM Files: Lot M–88: Box 110
Instructions from the Deputies for the Former Italian Colonies of the Council of Foreign Ministers to the Four Power Commission of Investigation for the Former Italian Colonies1
C.F.M./D/L/47/IC/25
I. Composition
1. The Commission shall consist of Delegations from each of the Four Powers, composed of a Head of Delegation, not more than three [Page 610] advisers, a Secretary of Delegation and not more than four interpreters and clerical assistants.2
II. Task
2. The task of the Commission of Investigation shall be to collect and supply the Deputies with the necessary data on the question of the disposal of the former Italian Colonies and to ascertain the views of the local population in accordance with the Joint Declaration of the Governments of the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and of France, concerning the former Italian territorial possessions in Africa.3 This shall include data regarding political, economic and social conditions in each colony, as well as the wishes and welfare of the inhabitants and the interests of peace and security.
For this purpose the Commission shall visit each of the former Italian Colonies, i.e. Libya, Eritrea and Italian Somaliland, and carry out investigations on the spot.
3. The Commission shall also carry out any other investigations which may be required by the Deputies concerning such questions as boundary adjustments and any other matters on which information may be required by the Deputies.
4. Upon completion of the investigations in each Colony the Commission shall prepare and submit a report to the Deputies on that Colony, containing such data and information as are called for herein. These reports shall be, if necessary, supplemented or amplified by the Commission on completion of its investigation in all the territories. These reports shall not contain any recommendations on the final disposal of the territories.
III. Procedure
5. The itinerary of the Commission shall be drawn up by the Commission itself, approved by the Deputies, and amended where necessary by the Commission.
6. The Commission shall not investigate any matters outside the boundaries of the former Italian Colonies, except under instruction from the Deputies.
7. The Commission shall have the right to confer with the administration and any officials, organised bodies and inhabitants of the Colonies, irrespective of nationality, as well as to call upon such [Page 611] sources in the Colonies as they may deem necessary for information relative to the investigation.
8. (i) To the fullest extent possible all sections of the local population are to be given an opportunity of making their views known, and to ensure this the Commission shall visit centres at which the people can most easily be congregated.
(ii) The timetable, local itineraries, and technical arrangements shall be made by the Commission in co-operation with the local authorities.
9. The Commission shall complete its work, including the submission of its reports to the Deputies within a period of not less than six and not more than seven months from the date of the departure of the Commission from London.
10. The work and documentation of the Commission shall be conducted in three official languages: English, French and Russian.
IV. Chairmanship and Secretariat
11. During the Commission’s stay in London, the Chairman of the Commission shall be the head of the delegation of the country whose Deputy is for the time being presiding at the meetings of the Deputies.
12. When the Commission is on the spot, the Chairmanship of the Commission shall be held by the heads of delegations, each of whom will act in turn for periods of seven calendar days. The order of rotation shall be the Latin alphabetical order, in the English language, viz. France, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
13. The Commission shall set up a joint secretariat consisting of the secretaries of Delegations, together with such additional clerical assistants and interpreters as it may be found necessary to appoint for this purpose. The Commission shall appoint one of the Secretaries to act as Senior Secretary who will be responsible to the Chairman for the conduct of the work of the joint secretariat.
14. The Commission will keep the following for submission to the Deputies:
- (a)
- summary minutes of the meetings of the Commission;
- (b)
- summary records of the interviews conducted by the Commission;
- (c)
- summary records of the investigations conducted on the spot by the Commission or members designated therefor; and
- (d)
- an index of documentary material acquired by the Commission to which will be annexed any documents which the Commission considers useful to the fulfilment of its tasks.
- These instructions were completed and approved by the Deputies at their 9th Meeting, October 20, 1947.↩
- Heads of the Delegations were: United States—John E. Utter; United Kingdom—F. E. Stafford; France—Etienne Burin des Roziers; Soviet Union—Artemiy Fedorovich Fedorov.↩
- The reference here is to the Joint Declaration constituting Annex XI of the Treaty of Peace with Italy.↩