740.0011 EW (Peace)/3–347
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Director of the Office of European Affairs (Hickerson)
| Participants: | Mr. Vassili A. Tarassenko, Counselor of the Soviet Embassy |
| A Soviet Interpreter | |
| Mr. John Hickerson, Director, Office of European Affairs | |
| Mr. Francis B. Stevens, Acting Associate Chief, Division of Eastern European Affairs |
Mr. Tarassenko came in to see me at 10:30 this morning at my request. I told Mr. Tarassenko that I was now in a position to give him [Page 532] the views of the United States Government on the Italian Treaty question which he put up to me late Friday afternoon. I thereupon informed Mr. Tarassenko as follows:
The views of this Government regarding the coming into force of the Treaty of Peace with Italy were communicated to the Soviet Government by the American Embassy in Moscow on February 8, 1947.1 These views may be summarized as follows:
Article 90 of the Italian Treaty provides that it shall be ratified by the Allied and Associated Powers and also by Italy. It also provides that the Treaty shall come into force immediately upon the deposit of ratifications by the USSR, UK, US and France. Article 89 expressly states that the Treaty shall confer no rights or benefits upon any Allied or Associated Power or its nationals until such power has ratified the Treaty. Although the Treaty itself is silent as to the rights of Italy under the Treaty in the absence of ratification by that country this Government is of the opinion that until Italy ratifies the Treaty, no rights or benefits thereunder can be claimed by Italy, which would remain subject to the armistice regime. This Government therefore hopes that Italy will in its own interest sign and promptly ratify the Treaty.
This Government’s views as set forth above were also communicated to the Italian Government.
On February 9, the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs informed the American Ambassador in Rome that the Italian Plenipotentiary in Paris had been instructed to make clear, at the time of signing the Treaty on February 10, that the Italian signature was subject to later ratification by the Italian Constituent Assembly, and that the Italian Plenipotentiary had been further instructed that if any of the four great powers objected to this procedure he was not to sign the Treaty. It is understood that the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs similarly informed the Ambassadors in Rome of the USSR, UK and France.
Before the ceremony of signature of the Italian Treaty in Paris on February 10, the French Minister for Foreign Affairs read to the Soviet, British and American Plenipotentiaries a note from the Italian Plenipotentiary giving the Italian views as outlined above. The Plenipotentiaries then proceeded with the signature of the Italian Treaty.
It is the opinion of this Government that although the Italian Constituent Assembly may be expected to protest the terms of the Treaty of Peace with Italy, it will nevertheless ratify the Treaty as will be recommended by the Italian Government. In view of the prospects for Italian ratification this Government feels that any public discussion [Page 533] by the four powers or direct approach to the Italian Government, concerning the extent of Italy’s obligation to ratify should be avoided since such action would adversely affect prompt action by the Italian Constituent Assembly. On that account, this Government intends to emphasize to the Italian Government from time to time, as opportunity offers, that it would be in Italy’s own interest to ratify the Treaty without delay.
I added that for Mr. Tarassenko’s convenience I had written out as an oral message the views set forth above. He expressed his appreciation.