750G.00/9–1451: Telegram
Leonard Unger , United States Political Adviser to the Commander of the British-United States Zone of the Free Territory of Trieste ( Winterton ), to the Secretary of State 1
308. Mytel 287 Sept 7.2 In view statement General Winterton’s communique that elections intended be held before end year, [Page 249] AMG must make definitive announcement on subject first week Oct, either scheduling elections for Dec or further postponing them.
If elections to be held before end 1951, December 9 and 16 are latest appropriate dates being last Sundays before holiday season. Law requires that at least 60 days before elections, i.e. first week Oct, dates must be officially announced. Such announcement wld be signal for recommencing campaign preparations which were abandoned following communiqué Sept 6. Once such announcement made General Winterton states elections must be held so that AMG’s position not further weakened by another volte-face. Therefore urge Dept review promptly with FonOff whether elections are to be held December or will now be further postponed.
If hope still exists that Itals and Yugos will undertake negotiate for solution Trieste problem in foreseeable future believe it is nevertheless clear (Rome’s tel 1112 to Dept, Sept 63) that nothing decisive will have occurred by early October when December elections or alternative course must be announced. Therefore if we continue find it worthwhile hold off elections to favor negots believe postponement now until next spring in order. Further consideration is belief many local observers that if elections held December winter weather and short daylight hour will keep voters from polls with results unfavorable to moderates; this might bring major embarrassment Ital cause here. Also Ital polit leaders now state any good will recently won for AMG with local pro-Itals by postponement wld be more than lost by scheduling elections for December.
Recognize however that Dept may be persuaded now or after discussions with De Gasperi that there is no hope stimulating negots at an early date by taking advantage whatever pressure exercised by imminence of elections. Thus Dept may wish get elections out of way promptly in hope of restoring calm so that months hence when Ital-Yugo relations may have taken more favorable turn negots might again be considered. Such conclusion from AMG viewpoint wld have advantages of restoring some lost prestige and confidence avoiding embarrassment of second postponement and helping AMG resist expected further Ital demands re linked lists, cassation etc.
Shld Dept and FonOff decide on further postponement General Winterton plans to let it be known first week October that upon further consideration he has decided that elections originally [Page 250] scheduled October should now be held next spring at an exact date to be announced later.
- Repeated to Rome, Belgrade, London, and Paris.↩
- This telegram quoted the text of the communiqué discussed in telegram 308. (750G.00/9–751)↩
- Telegram 1112 reported that De Gasperi strongly objected to placing a time limit on the postponement and to the undue pressure on his government. (750G.00/9–651)↩