Office of the Historian

740.00119 Control (Italy)/10–1245: Telegram

The Secretary of State to Mr. Alexander C. Kirk, Political Adviser to the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater, at Caserta

Washington, October 18, 1945—6 p.m.

907. Your 3823 Oct 7 and 3855 Oct 12.5 AFHQ assumption of Yugo refusal to maintain Allied liaison officers west coast of Istria and in any case of Yugo obstruction of their work does not appear valid reason for failing to make an effort to place observers in this predominantly Ital area of Istria, especially when Yugos have ample facilities for observation throughout Allied zone.

Dept moreover cannot accept AFHQ view, reported in Broad’s 1794 to FonOff Oct 1, that question of observers and an economic mission in area east of Morgan Line is no concern of AFHQ. While inclined to agree it is inadvisable to demand Ital representatives be permitted to enter Yugo zone, fact remains that Allies are politically and morally responsible as occupying powers and signatories of Belgrade agreement for conditions in all pre-war Ital territory.

Byrnes
  1. Neither printed.↩