501.AA/3–2648: Telegram
The Ambassador in Italy (Dunn) to the Secretary of State
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1360. I discussed informally matter of Italian membership in UN with Count Sforza.1 (ReDeptel 826, March 25, 2 p. m.). He said that he would like to give the question further consideration but his first reaction was that it was too soon now after the Trieste move to push the application. He said that membership in the UN was no longer in the minds of Italian public an essential prerequisite for betterment of Italy’s position under the treaty as manifested by the move made [Page 186] by the three nations with respect to Trieste. He said also that the Italians generally were so grateful for American initiative in the Trieste matter that a second move for reconsideration of UN membership was not necessary at least so soon after the other. He said he wished his initial reactions to be considered entirely informal and rather in the manner of a preliminary discussion of the question by him and that we would have a further discussion on the subject when he had had more time to think it through.
In my opinion this preliminary position should not cause us to abandon the idea but rather to consider the timing of when it might be brought up.
- Count Carlo Sforza, Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩