840.50 Recovery/7–1147: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
3812. For the Secretary. ReDeptel 2963, July 10. I expressed to Bevin this afternoon your gratitude for his views and the information contained in Embtel 3668, July 4 and your serious concern about the position of Italy. He shares your concern.
He said that he was very hopeful that Italy would have a representative at the forthcoming Paris meeting and was himself cabling to Rome urging that a representative attend. He suggested that we do likewise.
He said that he would do everything possible to provide moral support for Italy among the Western powers. He would at Paris suggest that under the General Committee on Cooperation there be established an Executive Committee of five on which he hoped the participating countries would designate one member from the Scandinavian countries, one member for Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg), one member from the UK, one member from France, and one member from the Mediterranean area, the latter being a representative of Italy.
He thought that if successful this program would provide the moral support, on behalf of the Western European countries, which he recognized the present Italian Government needs.
In addition, he had been attempting to find some method by which the Italian Ambassador Designate, Carandini, could be officially recognized by the British Government but that he had so far been able to find no precedent which would fit this particular situation.
As soon as Italy ratifies the treaty and even before it is signed, he hoped to make a statement to the House of Commons that the “state of war” with Italy was ended and that His Majesty’s Government was now “at peace” with her.
If you have any other suggestions as to how the participating Western European countries may add further moral support to the present Italian Government, please let me have them.