C.F.M. Files: Lot M–88: Box 2061: CFM Documents
Report to the Council of Foreign Ministers by the Commission To Investigate Rectification of the Franco-Italian Boundary in the Upper Roya Valley7
C.F.M.(46) 56
Report of Commission
- I.
- Terms of reference and Composition of the Commission
- II.
- Itinerary and Outline of Work of the Commission from 30th April to 4th May, 1946
- III.
- (a) Historical Survey
- (b) Geographical Survey
- IV.
- (a) Sentiments of the local population on the boundary question
- (b) Language spoken in Upper Roya Valley
- V.
- Hydro-Electric Power in the Upper Roya Valley
- VI.
- Recommendations of Commission
- Appendix (A) Record of Proceedings of the Commission8
- (B) List of Documents received by the Commission8
- (C) Map of Area9
I. Terms of Reference and Composition of the Commission
On the 27th April, 1946, the Council of Foreign Ministers agreed to the appointment of a Commission composed of representatives of the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and France to investigate rectification of the Franco-Italian Boundary in the Upper Roya Valley, as claimed by France in the memorandum (C.F.M.(D) (46) 15) submitted to the Council by the French Delegation on 4th February, 1946.10 This document contained the following paragraph:
[Here follows the text of the final paragraph of C.F.M.(D) (46) 15 headed “Rectification No. 4. Tenda.”]
On the 29th April, the Council approved the following terms of reference for the Commission, as drafted by the Deputies:
[Here follows the text of C.F.M.(46) 15, April 29, 1946, page 175.]
The Commission was composed of the following representatives:
| For the Soviet Union | Mr. G. Saksin |
| Mr. M. Ivanov | |
| For the United Kingdom | Mr. J. A. M. Marjoribanks |
| Mr. B. Jennings-Bramly | |
| For the United States | Mr. G. F. Reinhardt |
| Mr. R. B. Knight | |
| For France Mr. J. Vimont | Mr. M. Marron |
It was agreed that Mr. Jennings-Bramly should act as Secretary of the Commission.
II. Itinerary and Outline of Work of the Commission From 30th April to 4th May 1946
30th April:
The Commission arrived at Nice by air from Paris at 6 p.m. and was entertained at dinner by the Prefect of the Department of Alpes Maritimes, Mr. Paul Escande.
1st May:
The Commission left Nice for Tenda by road, passing by the Col de Braus, Sospel, the Col de Brouis and Breil, and arriving at the present Italian frontier at 3 p.m. At the French customs post they were met by the Liaison Officer appointed by the Allied Commission for Italy for the Tenda-Briga Area, Lt.-Col. A. H. Gardner (British) and by Lieut. Louis Kalck, French Liaison Officer in this area, under the orders of the Military Governor of Lyons. On the Italian side, they were received by Mr. Daneo, a representative of the Italian Foreign Office, Count Cibrario, Vice-Prefect of the Province of Cuneo, Mr. Durero, Mayor of Tenda and Mr. Dalfin, Mayor of Briga.
On arrival at Tenda (Cuneo Province), a meeting was held in the Mayor’s office, Mr. Reinhardt presiding, which opened by an expression of views by Lt.-Col. Gardner and Lt. Kalck on the programme which the Commission might follow on 2nd and 3rd May. These officers were also afforded the opportunity of expressing their views orally and in writing on the local situation.
At his request, Mr. Daneo, of the Italian Foreign Office, was then received for a few moments, and was followed by the Vice-Prefect of Cuneo. The Commission then interviewed the Mayors of Tenda and Briga and Mr. R. Muller, Director-General of the C.I.E.L.I. Electric Co. (Compagnia Imprese Elettriche Liguri Italiana).
2nd May:
After spending the night at Sospel (Alpes Maritimes), the Commission proceeded to Breil (Alpes Maritimes) in the middle Roya Valley, where a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Mr. Saksin. At this meeting representations were heard from the Mayor of the town, Mr. Botton, from a workman named Mario Tosello, formerly resident at Tenda and from two other refugees.
At Tenda, the Commission received from Mr. Daneo a document supplied by the Italian Government, entitled “Notes sur la Frontière [Page 355] Italo-Francaise”, and a set of four maps. They also interviewed Mr. S. Durero, Mayor of Tenda, and the six members of the former Giunta appointed by the Allied Commission in June 1945, three of whom, Messrs Caraballona, Mascarello and Beltrando were pro-French in sympathy, the other three Messrs. Ciccione, Piglione and Gosio being pro-Italian. The latter were accompanied by Mr. Vassallo, a member of the present Giunta.
After lunching at San Dalmazzo, the Commission visited the Col di Tenda and spoke with some residents of the Upper Valley. They then proceeded to the San Dalmazzo Power Station, the most important hydro-electric installation in the area, before going on to Briga. The Commission heard the evidence of the Mayor of Briga, Mr. F. Dalfin, the pro-French members of the former Giunta, Messrs. Hippolite Lamberti, Ritz Perrin, and A. Yacazio; and the pro-Italian members, Messrs. J. B. Dalfin, Lanteri and Gaglio.
The Commission then selected at random from the market square two pro-French witnesses, Madame Marie Gastaud and Mr. Galuppi, and two pro-Italian witnesses, Messrs. Aldo Giacco and Oreste Sordello. The Commission finally heard testimony from Count Alberti di Briga and Dr. Garaccione and returned to Sospel to spend the night.
3rd May:
The Commission returned to Nice via Castillon and Menton. In the afternoon they held a meeting, Mr. Marjoribanks presiding, where they received two refugees from Tenda and Briga, Messrs. Pierre Gaglio and Frangois Daveo, and a shepherd Joseph Franca who pastured his sheep in the Upper Roya during the summer months. Last witnesses to appear before the Commission were Mr. André Méchin, Chief Government Engineer for the Alpes Maritimes and Mr. Millaud, representing the Compagnie Energie Industrielle, who supplied information on the Company’s power station at Breil and on the station at Fontan owned by the Compagnie Energie Electrique du Littoral Méditerranéen.
4th May:
A meeting was held in Nice under the chairmanship of Mr. Vimont, to draw up the plan of the Commission’s report. The commission returned to Paris by air at 6.30 p.m.
[Here follow Sections III, IV, and V of the Report of the Commission.]
VI. Recommendations of the Commission to investigate rectification of the Franco-Italian boundary in the Upper Roya Valley.
The Commission respectfully recommends to the attention of the Council of Foreign Ministers the following conclusions reached as a result of its investigations in the Upper Roya Valley.
[Page 356]1. Sentiments of the inhabitants
Generally speaking, the people interviewed by the Commission in the commune of Tenda including San Dalmazzo appeared to be more pro-Italian and those at Briga more pro-French. The majority of the original families in the Briga area seemed to be in favour of union with Nice and this view was shared by some who considered themselves unquestionably Italian.
It was quite obvious, however, that strong feelings on either side were confined to a comparatively small section of the village-dwellers. The main preoccupation of the inhabitants of the Upper Roya seemed to be that they should be permitted freedom of movement up and down the valley, and of trade both with Italy and France.
Within the limited extent of its investigations the Commission was led to conclude that, where feelings were expressed, sentiment was almost equally divided for and against cession to France.
2. Language of the inhabitants
Although Italian is the official language and is universally spoken throughout the area, French is also spoken and understood by the great majority of the population. The local dialect is akin to dialects spoken on the southern slopes of the Alps, in France and Italy and is probably the same as that spoken in the lower parts of the Roya Valley.
3. Hydro-electric power in the area
For the present Italy can make the most efficient use of the electric power generated in the Tenda-Briga area.
France could also use this power efficiently if the French Government were to carry out their plans for the construction of a high tension line from Breil to Toulon (a distance of about 150 Kilometers).
Whether the border is changed or not, certain French and Italian interests which are already in existence should be preserved.
- (a)
- If there is no alteration in the present boundary the French hydro-electric interest supplying the Sospel, Menton and Nice areas should be permitted to continue to draw power from the Italian plants of the Upper Roya until the reconstruction of the wrecked plants at Breil and Fontan.
- (b)
- If the Tenda-Briga area is ceded to France, the Italian railways should be permitted to continue to draw on the two 16 cycle generators of the San Dalmazzo plant which have consistently been reserved for the requirements of the Italian railways.
- Electricity generated in the area over and above the French and Italian requirements set out in (a) and (b) above should also be made available to Italy.
- All allocations of power to Italy should be for a reasonable period to be decided by negotiations between France and Italy. In these negotiations due account should be taken of the time which Italy would require to develop alternative sources of hydro-electric power without serious disruption of her economy.
- (c)
- All international sales of power as contemplated above should be effected at the prevailing price for similar quantities of a like kind of current in the producing country.
Whatever the solution of the frontier question in the Upper Roya valley, it is the belief of the Commission that a more complete and equitable utilisation of the waters of the Roya would be achieved, if the French and Italian interests concerned were to devote themselves to the development of a co-ordinated plan for the mutual exploitation of the water power resources at their disposal.