CFM Files: Lot M–88: Box 110

Decision by the Deputies for the Former Italian Colonies of the Council of Foreign Ministers 1

secret

C.F.M./D/L/47/IC/27

Time-Table of the Conference of Deputies and of the Commission of Investigation From October, 1947 to June, 1948

1.
The Deputies shall constitute a Four Power Commission for the investigation of the former Italian Colonies not later than October 20th, 1947.
2.
The Deputies shall send out not later than October 20th, 1947, invitations to other interested Governments, as well as to the Governments of Italy and Egypt, asking for a reply within 14 days, enquiring whether they desire to submit their views regarding the disposal of the former Italian Colonies.2
3.
The Commission shall leave for the field early in November.
4.
The Deputies, early in November, will invite other interested Governments, as well as the Governments of Italy and Egypt, which have expressed the desire to present their views, to do so in the order established by the Deputies.
5.
During the period early November, 1947, to early June, 1948:
(a)
The Commission will carry out their investigations in the Colonies.
(b)
The Deputies will consider the views of the other interested Governments, as well as of the Governments of Italy and Egypt.
(c)
The Commission will present its reports to the Deputies.
(d)
Copies of the reports of the Commission will be circulated by the Deputies to other interested Governments, as well as to the Governments of Italy and Egypt.
6.
The Commission of Investigation will complete its work early in June.
  1. The text of this decision was agreed upon by the Deputies at their 8th Meeting, October 17, 1947.
  2. At their 3rd Meeting, October 7, 1947, the Deputies agreed to define “other interested Governments” as all Allied and Associated Powers, besides the United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and France, which signed the Peace Treaty with Italy (Australia, Belgium, Byelorussian S.S.R., Brazil, Greece, India, Canada, China, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Ukrainian S.S.R., Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia, Union of South Africa, Yugoslavia) and countries that had made territorial claims (Egypt and Italy), it being understood that the definition would include Pakistan. On October 20, 1947, the Secretary General of the Deputies, E. A. Paton-Smith, sent letters to these “other interested Governments” inviting them to express, if they so desired, their views regarding the disposal of the former Italian Colonies. The text of the letter was circulated to the Deputies as document CFM/D/L/47/IC/30, October 21, 1947, not printed.