Office of the Historian

740.00119 ACI/129: Telegram

The Consul General at Naples (Brandt) to the Secretary of State

Naples, May 23, 1944—4 p.m.
[Received May 23—2:23 p.m.]

81. From Kirk. My 61, May 17, 1 p.m.47 At a meeting of Advisory Council for Italy held on May 19 the representatives on the Council were unable to agree on a resolution referring to the purge program and consequently it was decided at that time to adjourn discussions on this subject until next meeting tentatively scheduled for June 2 at which time it was agreed the French and Russian representatives would introduce separate resolutions on this subject for consideration by the Council. On May 20 the day after the meeting the acting Soviet representative distributed to all other representatives copies of the draft on a resolution he intends to submit for discussion at next meeting. The salient points of this Bogomolov resolution are:

(1)
The Council notes with satisfaction that first point of the “Moscow Declaration on Italy”48 has been realized by the inclusion in the Italian Government of representatives of parties who have always been anti-Fascist;
(2)
The time has come to effectuate other points of the Moscow Declaration especially the 3d on suppression of Fascist institutions and the 4th on elimination of Fascists from public offices;
(3)
Having noted with pleasure the Italian Government’s intention expressed in article II of its April 27 “Declaration of aims and policy” calling for a punishment of Fascist criminals and removal of all Fascist elements from public office the Council observes that in several regions of Italy points 3 and 4 of the Moscow Declaration have not been effectuated and;
(4)
(Following paraphrase of text) The SAC49 is requested to inform the Italian Government that Council hopes the broad based government will strive to implement article II of its April 27 declaration aimed at democratizing the administrative structure of the Italian Government thereby bolstering the internal structure and creating an atmosphere favorable to development of participation at side of Allies of Italian forces in struggle against Hitlerite Germany. (End paraphrase) End Bogomolov resolution.

Inasmuch as Bogomolov resolution reported in this telegram is practically identical with the one the Soviet representative introduced for consideration at May 19 meeting of Council and to which Couve de Murville50 raised certain objections, I anticipate that French representative will be instructed to repeat same objections when this resolution [Page 1116] is considered by Council; namely (1) the part of resolution expressing satisfaction with present composition of Italian Government constitutes in effects a reiteration of the Macmillan resolution51 with reference to which French representative had made a reservation at time of the acceptance by Council (see Algier’s despatch 490, April 29, 194452) and (2) the latter part of paragraph 4 of the resolution implies a statement on cobelligerency to which the FCNL53 could not subscribe. I also anticipate that the Greek representative will make same reservation as the French regarding the implied reference to the status of cobelligerency.

My British colleague has dispatched text of this Bogomolov resolution to the Foreign Office for comment and instructions. In meantime, Bogomolov left for Algiers yesterday and Couve de Murville, the French representative, is scheduled to get here [there?] tomorrow admittedly for purpose of conferring with FCNL on this resolution.

In regard to the resolution as a whole I have expressed opinion on several occasions in course of the discussions that in view of progress which has been made by broad-based government in matters with which resolution deals, further time should be allowed to the Government to prove its capacity and effectiveness in problem of epuration. Bogomolov, however, has persisted in pressing his resolution.

In regard to the part of Bogomolov resolution referring to utilization of Italian forces, I submitted that it might be interpreted as a (recommendation of a military nature and, therefore, beyond the province of the Council and I have emphasized this point in the course of the discussion.

In view of fact that this resolution will be introduced at next meeting of Council for examination and consideration, I would appreciate receiving Department’s reaction to, and instruction, on this subject. [Kirk.]

Brandt
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. Annex 4 of the Secret Protocol of the Moscow Conference, Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. i, p. 759.↩
  3. Supreme Allied Commander.↩
  4. Maurice Couve de Murville, French Delegate to the Advisory Council for Italy.↩
  5. See paragraph numbered 3 of telegram of April 10, 3 p.m., from Salerno, p. 1092.↩
  6. Not printed.↩
  7. French Committee of National Liberation.↩