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

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

Report by the Committee on Italian Colonies to the Council of Foreign Ministers²⁶

secret
C.F.M.(46)221 (Revised)

Paris, 11 July, 1946.

A) Draft Article for inclusion in the Treaty.

1. Italy renounces all right and title to the Italian territorial possessions in Africa, i.e. Libya, Eritrea and the Italian Somaliland.

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 Governments of U.S.S.R., U.S.A., U.K. and France within one year of the coming into force of the present Treaty, in the manner laid down in the joint declaration of . . . . . (date) issued by the said Governments.

B) Draft Declaration of the Four Powers.

1. The Governments of U.S.S.R., U.S.A., U.K. and France agree that they will, within one year from the coming into force of the Peace Treaty with Italy bearing . . . . . (date), jointly determine the final disposal of Italy’s territorial possessions in Africa, to which, in accordance with Article . . . . . of the Treaty, Italy renounces all right and title.

2. The final disposal of the territories concerned and the appropriate adjustment of their boundaries shall be made by the Four Powers in the light of the wishes and welfare of the inhabitants and the interests of peace and security, taking into consideration the views of other interested Governments.^*

3. If in respect to any of these territories the Four Powers are unable to agree upon their disposal within one year from the date of the coming into force of the present Treaty, the matter shall be referred to the General Assembly of the United Nations for a recommendation, and the Four Powers agree to accept the recommendation and to take appropriate measures for giving effect to it.

4. The Deputies of the Foreign Ministers shall continue the consideration of the question of the disposal of the former Italian Colonies with a view to submitting to the Council of Foreign Ministers their recommendations on this matter. They shall also send out commissions of investigation to any of the former Italian Colonies in order to supply the Deputies with the necessary data on this question and to ascertain the views of the local population.

26. The earlier draft of this report was discussed and amended by the Council of Foreign Ministers at its 41st Meeting, July 12, 1946; see the United States Delegation Record of that meeting, p. 907. The text printed here is identical with the English version of that earlier draft.
27. The U.K. Delegation reserved their final approval of this paragraph. [Footnote in the source text.]