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

C.F.M. Files: Lot M–88: Box 2079: CFM Documents

Memorandum by the United States Delegation to the Council of Foreign Ministers⁹⁰

secret
CFM(46) (NY)22

New York, November 22, 1946.

Peace Treaty With Italy

Provisional Regime for the Free Territory of Trieste

The Conference recommendations provide that the Provisional Government will be organized by the Security Council which in particular will appoint a Governor and define his powers. The Council of Foreign Ministers has agreed that the draft of the Provisional Regime is to be prepared by it and approved by the Security Council.

It is necessary to define the powers of the Provisional Government during this period.

In addition to the powers already conferred upon the Governor by agreement at the present session of the Council of Foreign Ministers it is necessary to provide that:

a) the government during the interim period should be vested in the Provisional Governor who will exercise executive authority and organize the administrative departments and services;

b) to assist him in the fulfillment of the above, the Provisional Governor may appoint a provisional council of government from among representative persons in the Territory;

c) he may issue decrees with the force of law;

d) he may make appointments to public office;

e) after consultation with representative bodies and persons in the Free Territory, he shall determine the system and procedure of elections to the Constituent Assembly;

f) he shall promulgate decrees calling for this election at the earliest time that he considers conditions in the Territory will permit (the qualifications for citizenship giving the right to vote will be those agreed for the Permanent Statute);

g) he shall organize a police force and take the necessary security measures;

h) he shall likewise be authorized to recommend to the Security Council the withdrawal of foreign troops when and if in his opinion conditions permit.

90. This paper was taken up by the Council of Foreign Ministers during its 8th Informal Meeting, November 22; see the United States Delegation Minutes, supra.