Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

865.014/2–1347: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Italy

restricted

Washington, February 15, 1947—2 p. m.

228. In concert with your Soviet,¹ Brit² and French³ colleagues, pls inform FonOff on Feb 18 this Govt considers new Italo-Yugo frontier in accordance Art 3 Ital treaty shd be provisionally delimited by Ital and Yugo Govts prior withdrawal of Allied military forces from this frontier area upon coming into force of treaty. This provisional frontier would of course be subject to later adjustment in accordance with findings of Boundary Commission to be set up under Art 5 Ital treaty.

This Govt therefore proposes Ital and Yugo Govts appoint reps for joint reconnaissance of new frontier under auspices of US, UK, USSR and France.⁴ It is suggested that these reps should assemble at Trieste Feb 28.

(Sent Belgrade as 80 and Borne as 228, rptd for info to London as 770, Paris as 612 and Moscow as 251.)

Marshall

1. Mikhail Kostylev.
2. Sir Noel Charles.
3. Georges Balay, Chargé d’Affaires.
4. On the same day (February 15) by instruction 227 (79 to Belgrade) the Ambassador was directed, in concert with his British colleague, to make early arrangements for the transfer of administration from Allied Military Government to Italy or to Yugoslavia of those areas in Zone A of Venezia Giulia which would fall to each respectively (865.014/2–1347).