740.00119 Council/6–3046
The Italian Prime Minister (De Gasperi) to the Secretary of State3
On September 19 of last year the Council of Foreign Ministers at London approved unanimously a recommendation in accordance with which the Deputies were to examine the problem of the Italo-Yugoslav frontier and of Trieste on the basis of a line which, while constituting in principle the line of ethnic demarcation, should leave a minimum of the two nationalities under alien rule.
The Deputies were also to examine and report upon the international regime of the Port of Trieste in order that the latter might be available on equal terms for the international trade of Yugoslavia, Italy and the other states of Central Europe, as is usual in other free ports of the world. These decisions were adopted after consideration of the reasons put forward by me in contradiction with those presented by the Yugoslav delegates at the sessions of the Council. I was also summoned to Paris on May 3, at the beginning of this Conference, to express my views on the report of the Commission of Investigation concerning the ethnic line.
[Page 701]The news has just come from Paris that the basic principles of the recommendation of London of September 19 have been dropped in favor of new solutions which discard the basis which had been recognized at London as just and reasonable.
Confronted by this profound change which transforms radically the basic principles to be followed in the solution of the problem, the Italian Government asks the Council of Four that it be given the possibility of making its voice heard during the present phase of its work and in advance of any decision whatever which affects closely the destiny of its people.
The Italian Republic feels more than ever the solidarity which unites it with all the democracies in the aspiration for a just peace and in the painful search for it. It appreciates your efforts and has no intention of disturbing them but rather to assist them, by avoiding expedients which would lead to new conflicts. Italy once more affirms its desire of coming to an agreement with the Yugoslav people on the basis of a just respect for the rights and interests of both parties.
In an hour critical for my country I ask you not to neglect this last appeal which I am sending you confident in your sense of justice and harrassed by the anxious anguish of all Italians.
- The text of this message, in French, was transmitted to the Secretary under cover of a note of June 30, 1946, from the Italian Chargé in Paris, which indicated that the message was also being delivered to the other members of the Council of Foreign Ministers.↩