868.48/2092: Telegram
The Minister in Sweden (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:54 p.m.]
890. My 840, April 15, 4 p.m. Boheman sent for British Minister and me yesterday afternoon for communication of further details regarding Italian reply to proposals for Greek food relief. He gave [Page 754] us a memorandum embodying substance of this reply which reads as follows:
“The Italian Government have—according to a report recently received from the Swedish Minister at Rome—given their consent to the proposed relief action in favor of Greece on the following conditions:
- (1)
- They are prepared to give safe-conduct in both directions for the Swedish ships transporting the foodstuffs from Canada to Greece.
- (2)
- The Italian authorities will offer no objection to the allocation of all foodstuffs imported to Greece as relief under the scheme being made and controlled by one of the organs of the International Red Cross. Delegates of the Swedish Red Cross might be included on conditions to be agreed upon between the Swedish Red Cross and the International Red Cross Committee.
- (3)
- The Italian Government agree that foodstuffs imported to Greece by the Swedish Red Cross will be reserved solely for the Greek population. As the quantity of grain to be transported monthly is limited, the Italian Government are of the opinion that it would be advantageous to concentrate its distribution to such area where the need is greatest, i. e. Greece’s mainland, Peloponnesus and Crete (reservation made for more detailed specification later).
- (4)
- The Italian Government are in principle also of the opinion that foodstuffs originating in Greece are to be reserved for the Greek civil population.
The Italian Government reserve their rights at any time, when in their opinion the conditions so require, to withdraw their consent to the relief scheme; due notification of any such step will however, beforehand be given to the Swedish Legation at Rome. The Italian Government wish to state that they have no objection to negotiations being continued through the Swedish Government in order to arrive at an agreement concerning the practical method of execution of this scheme.
The Swedish Red Cross intends to get in touch immediately with the International Red Cross Committee at Geneva asking them eventually to assume protection of the proposed relief scheme and to collaborate with the Swedish Government and the Swedish Red Cross towards the elaboration of a plan of control, which would meet the requirements of the American and British Governments. The Swedish Government will be glad to submit the plan to the said Governments as soon as conditions permit. Stockholm 18th, April, 1942.”
See immediately following telegram.