740.00119 Control (Italy)/3–747: Telegram

The Ambassador in Italy (Dunn) to the Secretary of State

secret

498. Embassy has taken no steps to inform Yugoslavs of CCS decision on removal of plant and machinery from Pola and in reply to suggestion from British military at AFHQ that such action be taken, Byington1 expressed opinion that notification might more properly be conveyed to Yugoslavs through normal channels by General Harding.

Since Yugoslavs previously protested removal of privately owned plant and machinery from Pola to elsewhere in Zone A, we may well expect that they will renew their protest (see Embassy’s 443, March 12). Following summary of recent Yugoslav activities may therefore be of pertinent interest in connection with any such protest: Italian [Page 65] Government has informed Allied military authorities that Yugoslavs are removing installations of hospital owned by Italian Red Cross at Marino di Valdoltra (Capodistria). These installations are stated by Italian Foreign Office to be worth several hundred million lire and hospital which is at present occupied by Yugoslavs is situated in that portion of Zone B which will eventually become part of Trieste free territory. Allied military authorities feel they are powerless to do anything to assist Italians in this matter.

AMG VG has been informed that two Yugoslav lorries with ten mechanics went to the salt mines of Pirano (now Zone B also to be in free territory) with intention of taking away all machinery of that establishment.

Associazione degli Industriali of Trieste Province has protested to AMG that property in Zone B of the two largest concerns of canning food industry in Trieste are being subjected to a “pre-ordained stripping”. In addition, Cantieri Navali informed AMG that Yugoslav authorities have ordered its shipyards at Capodistria to launch for Yugoslav account two 200-ton vessels which were under construction. (For details re foregoing, see Cole’s despatch No. 178 of February 13, 1947.3)

In despatch 175 of February 6,3 Cole4 reports further seizure of three Italian fishing vessels on January 8 and January 9, and eight schooners carrying furniture of evacuees from Pola on January 25 and 26, and subjecting another schooner to gunfire from Yugoslav vessel (we have brought this latter incident actively to attention of AFHQ in connection with their undertaking to provide naval protection for evacuees from Pola to Italy).

I believe Glasser and Unger would have further information on this subject.

Dunn
  1. Homer Morrison Byington, Jr., Deputy U.S. Political Adviser to SACMED.
  2. Not printed; in it Dunn reported that AFHQ had instructed General Harding to lift the ban on removal of plant and machinery to points within Zone A; and that he (Dunn) had informed De Gasperi of the decision by the Combined Chiefs of Staff (740.00119 Control (Italy)/3–147).
  3. Not printed.
  4. Not printed.
  5. William Edward Cole, Jr., Representative of the U.S. Political Adviser.