740.00119 Control (Italy)/5–545
The Italian Ambassador (Tarchiani) to Mr. William Phillips, Special Assistant to the Secretary of State
My Dear Ambassador: Following our conversations of April 30th and May 3rd, I do not want to delay in informing you that I received [Page 1140] from my Minister of Foreign Affairs16 a telegram instructing me to officially interpret to the Government of the United States the deep anxiety of our people over the fact that Yugoslav troops have entered eastern areas of the Italian territory.
As you may be aware, the Italian Prime Minister17 and the Minister of Foreign Affairs have already represented to the Allied Authorities in Rome this profound sense of concern on the part of the Italian people and their confidence that the Allied Governments will find a way to adequately face a situation which might otherwise lead to very serious consequences.
At the same time, Mr. Bonomi and Mr. de Gasperi have reconfirmed the Italian point of view—well known to the Department of State—that all controversial questions between Italy and Yugoslavia be deferred to a more appropriate time and that meanwhile the administration of the eastern boundary zones be exclusively committed to the Anglo-American Authorities, the only ones which can give substantial assurances of objectivity, ponderation and equity.
Such a viewpoint seems to be fully in agreement with what has been repeatedly communicated by the State Department to this Embassy concerning the Anglo-American occupation of the territories in question, the prevention of unilateral actions and the extension of the A.M.G. administration to the areas included within the Italian boundaries of 1939, pending a final settlement to be reached at the Peace Conference.
I already know, my dear Ambassador, that the United States Government will certainly do all that is in its power in order to meet the said expectations of my Government and of the Italian people. Because of that and having in mind our recent conversations, I felt that I should not trouble you so soon again for another appointment to take up these matters once more, but I am, of course, at your entire disposal for any further discussion you might deem it useful to have on this question, which is so vital to my country.
I am [etc.]