881.00/10–545: Airgram
The Ambassador in Italy ( Kirk ) to the Secretary of State 93a
[Received October 19—6 p.m.]
A–798. Reference Department’s telegram no. 1254 of July 27, 1945.93b Foreign Office communicated with me again on September 26 concerning Italian participation in preparatory talks for drawing up statute for international zone of Tangier. This communication states as follows:
“Mr. Ambassador;
I thank you for your letter of September 13 in which you courteously informed Minister De Gasperi94 of text of the resolution of the recent conference in Paris concerning provisional statute of the International Zone of Tangier concerning Italy.
“There had already, however, been received through confidential channels from London text of the Anglo-French agreement of August 31 concerning the provisional regime of Tangier.
“In this connection I cannot but point out how the decisions adopted at Paris, declaring to Italy the terms of Protocol of 1928, have prejudiced gravely the interests of Italy—which did not participate in the recent conversations, nor consulted them—in her capacity as ‘contracting party’ in the international regime of the Zone Tangier: a status which she had acquired through the aforementioned Protocol of 1928.
[Page 668]“This question is actually being studied by the legal offices and we shall not fail to inform you in good time of our point of view.
“I ask you to accept, Mr. Ambassador, the assurances of my highest consideration. (Signed) R. Prunas”