611.6531/285
Telegram From the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs to the Italian Ambassador (Rosso)29
We wish in the first place to state again:
- 1)
- That we are willing and desirous to find a way for promoting an increase of Italo-American trade;
- 2)
- That we are confident that a solution can be found if and when the problem is faced and dealt with in a practical way, keeping into consideration the fact that Italy is compelled by necessity to look for a certain degree of equilibrium in her balance of commerce.
After this premise, we wish to point out that art. 6 and 24 of the existing Treaty are in no way contradictory to the claim of the United States Government wishing to be guaranteed against discrimination. On the contrary, we consider these two articles as the fundamental basis for more detailed agreements as one can expect from the proposed negotiations.
On the other hand it is evident that the regime of restrictions recently established in Italy and which, as already mentioned, was forced upon us by circumstances outside of our control, has a temporary character. A return to normalcy is to be expected sooner or later. It seems then that the provisions governing the normal situation should remain as formulated by the Treaty of 1871, while conditions of a temporary character may be regulated by the agreement that we are ready to negotiate.
We do not see therefore the need for a denunciation of the two articles above indicated, while we feel that such an action would complicate the situation, so much so that there are reasons to believe that the proposed agreement could [not?] be concluded before the expiration of the twelve months period provided for by the existing Treaty as the term available after denunciation.
It seems, moreover, that the denunciation of articles 6 and 24 would be against the spirit of the most favored nation clause which we understand to be the basic principle of the American policy.
There is also a consideration of a general nature which we have to keep in mind, that is: it does not appear that the Government of the United States has taken yet any measure of the kind towards any other country although there are Countries that have enforced a system of restrictions similar to the Italian one and maybe with more unfavorable repercussions upon American trade. To be thus singled out in this respect might give rise to the impression of an unfriendly act [Page 540] towards Italy, while the Italian Government has the feeling of never having failed to give, in point of fact, every possible consideration to the interests of the American trade.
We are confident therefore that the Department of State will not insist on their request and that we will be able to proceed towards the actual beginning of the negotiations.
- Copy handed to Assistant Secretary of State Sayre by the Italian Ambassador, July 29, 1935.↩