840.50 Recovery/11–2348
The Acting Secretary of State to the Italian Ambassador (Tarchiani)
The Acting Secretary of State presents his compliments to His Excellency the Ambassador of Italy and has the honor to refer to his note No. 10485 of November 23, 19481 transmitting a memorandum setting forth the new proposals on the functioning of the O.E.E.C. which have been presented by the Italian Government to the countries participating in the European Recovery Program.
The Acting Secretary of State is gratified to note that the Italian Government has made suggestions to the other governments concerning measures which might be taken to strengthen the O.E.E.C. As the Ambassador is aware, the Government of the United States shares the view of the Italian Government that it is desirable for the countries participating in this program to consider this new organization as one which may outlive the European Recovery Program and serve [Page 890] to bring about a lasting economic cooperation among the participating countries.
- In this note, not
printed, Ambassador Tarchiani enclosed a translation of a memorandum
dated November 19, 1948 addressed by the Italian Government to the
Governments adhering to the ERP.
This memorandum urged that: ↩
“All the Governments associated in the E.R.P. should at once direct their efforts towards a double goal; the gradual building-up of a community of inter-dependent countries—just as Italy and France are now attempting by means of the establishment of a customs union—and the promotion of an increase in production resulting in an intensification of interchange of products between the various countries. This would bring about a reduction in production costs, a greater employment of labor and the improvement of the standard of living of the populations.” (840.50 Recovery/11–2348)