611.6531/332: Telegram
The Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 9—2:43 p.m.]
516. Your 156, November 22, 8 p.m. A meeting with the Italian delegation to discuss the new commercial treaty is scheduled to take place Friday afternoon December 11 at which time we may or may not receive the Italian counter-draft. Should this draft be ready for discussion at that time it will undoubtedly be of such nature as to require lengthy negotiation.
Under these circumstances I should like to have a draft notice of joint denunciation which could be presented to Giannini at the close of the meeting, should it become evident, as I anticipate it will, that there is little prospect of concluding a new treaty before the end of the year. It could be explained that if the Italian Government agrees to the terms of the notice joint denunciation could take place on the 15th of December, or otherwise that in view of the delay which has taken place since the presentation of our draft it will be necessary for the United States to proceed immediately to unilateral denunciation of the treaty.
If you approve of this procedure please telegraph the form of the draft denunciation in time for the meeting on Friday.