840.20/3–2949
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
| Participants: | Count Sforza, Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| The Italian Ambassador | |
| The Secretary | |
| Mr. Hickerson, EUR | |
| Mr. Dowling, SWE |
When Count Sforza called at his request this afternoon, he spoke, first of the advantages which he anticipated for Western Europe generally, as well as for France and Italy, from the Franco-Italian Customs Union which he and Schuman had signed at Paris on March 26. He explained that he had always felt the problem of European unity had to be approached on an economic basis, and therefore felt the Customs Union represented real progress in this direction. Referring to the French feeling on the German problem, Sforza said he had told Schuman of his idea that Western Europe should move forward on cooperation and unity without Germany, but that a place must be kept open for the participation of the latter at such time as the German people may be prepared to cooperate with Western Europe.
I told Sforza that we too were encouraged by the Franco-Italian agreement, that there was keen interest in Congress regarding European cooperation and unity, and that I could assure him that his efforts in this direction were widely appreciated.
Sforza then remarked that he had come to Washington a few days ahead of schedule not only to provide Italian public opinion additional evidence of the serious consideration which the Italian Government was giving the Atlantic Pact, but also to raise a couple of points on which he wanted my advice before the Foreign Ministers’ meeting on April 2. The first of these concerned the possibility that, in the unlikely event of hostilities after the Pact had come into force, Yugoslavia might be able to keep out of the war. This in turn raised the question of the Italian attitude, and especially whether it might be advantageous to all the Pact members for Italy to adopt a neutral [Page 254] attitude. Another point concerned the representation of Italy in matters which might arise between the Security Council and members of the Atlantic Pact; he hoped that the United States would represent Italy should this necessity arise.
In reply, Mr. Hickerson pointed out that the first question raised by the Minister was an appropriate subject for consideration under the consultative machinery of the Pact, and would undoubtedly come up for discussion at an early date. As regards the second point, Mr. Hickerson remarked that we had of course supported the Italian cause in the Security Council on other occasions in the past, notably in regard to Trieste and Italian membership in the UN, and that he thought we could comply with the present request on an informal basis.
In conclusion, Sforza recounted some of his experiences in steering the Italian cabinet proposal on Atlantic Pact membership to a successful vote in Parliament. He emphasized the bitterness of Communist opposition, and expressed the view that the Italian Communist Party was virtually “destroyed” as an effective political force in Italy. By way of illustration, he said that the “Peace Front” now being organized by the Communists was a poor substitute for the general strike which they had been too weak to organize.