CFM Files
United States Delegation Journal
USDel (PC) (Journal) 44
The Commission accepted suggestions put forward by the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Rapporteur in CP (IT/EC) Doc. 4429 regarding the scheduling of its work, with the exception that further consideration of Article 64B (Reparation to countries other than the USSR) would be deferred until Monday, September 23, and that Articles 66–74 would be considered this week. The Commission also agreed to begin its meetings at 3:30 p.m., to submit written translations whenever possible of prepared speeches in order to avoid oral translations, and to make speeches as brief as possible. The Commission accepted the report of the Subcommission on Reparation (CP [Page 474] (IT/EC) R Doc. 22)30 and agreed to dispense with the oral presentation of the report. The Greek representative put forward an amendment to Article 65, paragraph 2, requiring the replacement by Italy of objects of art, etc., removed from United Nations’ territory occupied by Italy, which could not be restituted, or which, though restitutable, were damaged, or which were destroyed on United Nations’ territory by Italian forces. The Byelo-Russian representative supported the amendment and moved that the provision be extended to Albania. Mr. Thorp (US) then moved an amendment, to be included as paragraph 9 of Article 65, in substitution for the Greek amendment, which provided that where restitution could not be made of objects of art, etc., belonging to the cultural heritage of the United Nation from which the works were removed by force or duress by Italian forces, authorities, or nationals (“nationals” were added at the suggestion of the Czech representative), Italy would replace these objects with comparable objects so far as such objects were obtainable in Italy. After an exchange of views, the Greek and Byelo-Russian amendments were withdrawn and the US proposal was adopted unanimously by the Commission. The Commission then unanimously adopted paragraph 2 of Article 65 and paragraph 8 of the same article with reservations by the Ethiopian and Soviet representatives as to their right to return to it if necessary in view of subsequent decisions on other matters. The paragraph is also subject to the reservation by the US that the paragraph is accepted subject to the question of the settlement of disputes. The Commission agreed that Article 65 should apply to Albania, but deferred a decision as to whether provision should be made for this in Article 65 or elsewhere in the treaty. The Commission then took up paragraph 1 of Article 66 (Renunciation of Claims by Italy). The Soviet representative proposed that the provision should extend to Albania and that, in the case of Albania, the date should be April 7, 1939. He suggested that the Commission approve this in principle, deferring a decision as to how to give effect to the principle until later, but, as he did not have a written text of his proposal to present to the Chair, he requested that further consideration be deferred until the next meeting. The Commission then took up Article 66, paragraph 4, (assumption by Italy of full responsibility for all Allied military currency issued in Italy by Allied Military Authorities). The Yugoslav representative proposed that the text be amended to include currency issued by Allied or Associated Military Authorities. Mr. Gregory (UK) said that he was not aware that any [Page 475] military currency had been issued in Italy by other than Allied Military Authorities. The Yugoslav representative explained that Yugoslav Military Authorities in the Julian March had issued military currency. Mr. Gregory requested that the matter be deferred to allow further study by the members of this problem. The Commission agreed to defer the question.