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

Defense Files: Telegram

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

top secret

Leghorn, 13 June 1947.

FX 76572 (Naf 1334). Reference Fans 720,¹ 739² and 743.³

1. General Airey with concurrence of General Moore plans publishing on R Day a proclamation if the governor of the Free Territory of Trieste has not taken office.

“Proclamation Number 1. To the people of the Free Territory of Trieste, British-United States Zone. Whereas by Article 21 of the Treaty of Peace between the Allied and Associated Powers and Italy which has now come into force, a Free Territory of Trieste has been constituted, and whereas, under Article 1 of Annex VII of the Treaty it has been provided that pending the assumption of office by the governor of the Free Territory, the said territory shall continue to be administered by the Allied Military Commands within their respective zones, I, therefore, T. S. Airey, Major General, Commander British and United States Forces, in order to implement the provisions of the Treaty of Peace, to hasten the establishment of the Free Territory and to ensure the welfare and safety of the population by preserving law and order have issued the following proclamation:

“2. Continuance of military government.

• ‘1. Pending the assumption of office by the duly appointed governor of the Free Territory of Trieste all powers of government and administration in that zone of the Free Territory in which British and United States Forces are stationed as well as jurisdiction over its inhabitants shall continue to be vested in me in my capacity of commander of the said British and United States Forces.
• ‘2. An Allied Military Government of the British-United States Zone of the Free Territory to administer these powers under my direction is hereby continued.
• ‘3. I hereby direct that all administrative and judicial officials and all other government and municipal functionaries and employees and all officers and employees of public, municipal or other services, shall continue in the performance of their duties, subject to such directions as may from time to time be issued by me or by officers designated by me for that purpose.
• ‘4. All existing laws, decrees and orders in force in the British-United States Zone on the date of this proclamation shall remain in force and effect except as abolished or modified by Proclamation Number 2 which is promulgated herewith and except in so far as I may, from time to time, change or supercede them. The words “Allied Forces” which appear in such laws, decrees and orders shall be interpreted as referring to the British and United States Forces stationed in the zone. (Signed) T. S. Airey, Commander, British and United States Forces, Allied Military Government, British-United States Zone, Free Territory of Trieste.’”

3. Proclamation Number 2, referred to in subpara 4 of Proclamation Number 1 accomplishes the reform or repeal of certain of the more drastic provisions of the present regime and General Airey is desirous of drawing attention to these reforms in his first proclamation of military government after establishment of the Free Territory.

4. I have approved the draft which will be published as stated above unless I receive from Combined Chiefs of Staff instruction to the contrary or modification.⁴

[

Lee

]

1. Ante, p. 58.
2. See footnote 4, p. 59
3. See footnote 5, p. 59.
4. In WAR 81138 (Fan 769), June 28, not printed, the Combined Chiefs of Staff informed General Lee that they had no objection to the proposals made by General Airey in Naf 1334 (Defense Files).