Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, Council of Foreign Ministers, Volume II

C.F.M. Files: Lot M–88: Box 2061: CFM Documents

Proposals by the United Kingdom Delegation to the Council of Foreign Ministers¹²

secret
C.F.M.(46) 177

Paris, 1 July, 1946.

Peace Treaty With Italy

Italian Colonies

(A) Draft Article for inclusion in the Treaty proposed by United Kingdom Delegation.

1. Italy renounces all right and title to her territorial possessions in Africa.

2. Pending their final disposal, the said possessions shall continue under their present administration.

3. The final disposal of these possessions shall be determined jointly by the four principal Allied Powers within one year of the coming into force of the present Treaty, in the manner laid down in the joint declaration of to-day’s date issued by the four principal Allied Powers.

(B) Draft Declaration to be signed by representatives of the Four Powers.

1. The Council of Foreign Ministers of the Governments of the U.S.A., United Kingdom, U.S.S.R. and France agree that they will, within one year from the coming into force of the Peace Treaty with Italy bearing this day’s date, jointly determine the final disposal of Italy’s territorial possessions in Africa to which, by the said Treaty, Italy renounces all right and title.

2. The final disposal of the territories concerned shall be made by the Four Powers in accordance with one, or any combination of, the following solutions, whether applicable to the whole or any part of the territories concerned as may appear, in the light of the wishes of the inhabitants and the views of other interested Governments, to be appropriate:—

(1) Independence;

(2) Incorporation in a neighbouring territory;

(3) Trusteeship, to be exercised either by the United Nations as a whole, or by any one of the United Nations individually.

3. In the event of the Four Powers being unable to agree to a solution on one, or a combination, of the above bases, the matter shall be referred to the General Assembly of the United Nations for a recommendation, and the Four Powers hereby agree to accept that recommendation and to take appropriate measures for giving effect to it, bearing in mind the pledges given to the Senussi by His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom during the war.

4. The Deputies of the Foreign Ministers shall continue to consider the question of the disposal of the former Italian Colonies in Africa and are empowered to despatch Commissions of enquiry to all or any of the ex-Italian Colonies with a view to ascertaining the views of the local inhabitants and to supplying the Deputies with the necessary material on which to base a recommendation to the Council of Foreign Ministers regarding the ultimate solution of the question.

12. At its 33rd Meeting, July 3, 1946, the Council of Foreign Ministers adopted the proposal for a draft article set forth in section A of these proposals and agreed in principle on the proposal for a draft declaration set forth in section B; see the United States Delegation Record and the Record of Decisions of that meeting, pp. 730 and 751.