Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The British Commonwealth; Europe, Volume III

FW 865.24/1–347: Telegram

The Combined Chiefs of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater (Morgan)

secret

[Washington,] January 3, 1947.

WARX 88909. Fan 708. This answers Naf 1219.¹

1. We confirm that you may hold surplus equipment as an interim measure for issue to Italians at later date when suitable governmental agreements have been made, subject to the following conditions:

a. Items held must be of such nature and quantity as to give reasonable assurance that they will, in fact, be desired and required by the Italian Government for the post-peace treaty Italian Army.

b. Equipment held must be from global surpluses and not merely excess to theater requirements. You have already been requested to give the War Office details of main British equipments involved as there may be complications over supply of certain items; e.g., provisions for further maintenance. You should also give the War Department details as to main United States equipment involved in order that necessary concurrence to intended disposition may be expeditiously secured.

c. With regard to British equipment of lend-lease origin, action must be taken without delay, through the War Office, to obtain necessary United States clearance for future transfer to the Italians.

d. No equipment now surplus or which may become surplus, for which sales agreements have been consummated, will be considered as available for retention under this authority.

2. We also agree that this equipment should be held in a depot manned and maintained by Italian Army under supervision of Military Mission Italian Army, but only under the following conditions:

a. In placing stocks in the depot, a definite understanding must first be reached with the Italians that the equipment will remain property of, and subject to withdrawal by. His Majesty’s Government and United States Government until suitable agreements have been made, and that final disposal will be made only through normal disposal agencies.

b. Prompt action must be taken, through the War Department and War Office, to secure governmental concurrences for the storing, without demilitarization, in Italian depots of specific items of equipment and supplies for the purpose of probable future transfer to the Italian Government.

c. Agreement must be reached between the responsible agencies of the owning government and the Italian Government at the time of storage as to quantities of items being stored in order to assure that responsibility for losses rests with the Italian Government.

1. Naf 1219 (FX 72443), dated September 30, 1946, from Caserta, not printed (FW 865.24/1–347).