740.00119 EW/4–1146: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union ( Smith ) to the Secretary of State
priority
[Received April 11—3:45 p.m.]
1144. The Italian Ambassador27 informs me that last week he called on Molotov28 in connection with the US proposal to Great Britain and USSR for revision of the Italian armistice terms. When he expressed hope that the Soviet Government would agree, Molotov asked if in view of the fact that consideration of the peace treaty was scheduled to begin on May 1, consideration of the armistice terms are still current. Quaroni replied that this subject was considered current by the Italian Government, that while it was true the peace treaty was scheduled for discussion beginning May 1, it was conceivable that there would be delays and that in any event the Italians were extremely hopeful that the armistice terms revision would be considered separately from and settled prior to the discussion of the peace treaty. He invited Molotov’s attention to the fact the Italian elections were approaching29 and that the armistice terms were a matter of vital concern to all parties. Molotov evinced considerable interest in this facet of the question and after some discussion informed Quaroni that the matter was under consideration by the Soviet Government and that no positive answer could be given at this time.
Sent Dept 1144, repeated Paris 90, Rome 26, London 191.
- Pietro Quaroni.↩
- Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union.↩
-
Decreto Legislativo Luogotenenziale No. 98 of March 16, 1946, fixed the national election for the Constituent Assembly and referendum on the Institutional Question for June 2 (Gazzetta Ufficiale, March 23, 1946).
For documentation on the attitude of the United States regarding the form of government to be established in Italy, see pp. 874 ff.
↩