800.85/9–1644: Airgram
The Acting Secretary of State to the American Representative on the Advisory Council for Italy (Kirk)
A–97. With reference to your despatch number 346 of September 16, 1944, relating to “Italian Desire to Participate in Proposed International Conference on World Shipping”, the Department’s views are as follows:—
- (1)
- The reference to Under Secretary Stettinius’ statement that “an international conference on world shipping is being organized” is incorrect. The statement was that shipping was “one of those postwar economic matters of which we have many but we have not made any definite arrangements yet for such a conference”. This statement still holds true.
- (2)
- With respect to “the possibility of Italy’s participation, even under the form of adherence, in the agreement recently reached on post-war shipping between the United States” and other countries, it should be pointed out that this agreement is solely a wartime control measure which will remain in effect only until six months after the end of the war with Japan, or with Germany, whichever may be the later.
See Radio Bulletin of October 1 for the text of agreement.27
[The first session of the United Maritime Executive Board was held at Washington, November 20–24, 1944. The minutes of the meetings [Page 731] are not printed (SD files, lot 52–107, box 1). For information concerning the session, see Department of State Bulletin, December 3, 1944, page 655.]