750G.00/10–651
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Director of the Office of Western European Affairs ( Byington )
Subject: Trieste—Postponement of Elections
| Participants: | Mr. I. F. Porter, First Secretary, British Embassy |
| Mr. Homer M. Byington, Jr.—WE |
Mr. Porter called to inform me that the Foreign Office had now agreed that the elections in Trieste would be postponed until next spring and that the announcement to that effect would be made by General Winterton in as inconspicuous a manner as possible, without setting any precise date.
Mr. Porter also said that the Foreign Office was in agreement with us with regard to the nature of the representations that would be made by the United States and British Ambassadors in Belgrade. He said that the Foreign Office was, however, slightly concerned over our unwillingness to associate ourselves with them in the representations that were to be made by the British Ambassador in Rome. He said that his Government understood our reason that we considered we had covered the ground with the Italian Prime Minister here in Washington in his conversations with the President and the Secretary and that an additional approach at this time in Rome would be in the nature of an anti-climax. The Foreign Office urged nevertheless that if the occasion should arise, we support their representation in Rome. I said that we would instruct our Chargé in Rome not to take any initiative, but that if [Page 256] the matter were raised with him by the Italian Government, he should associate himself with the British approach. I also mentioned to Mr. Porter the importance we felt in the timing of the British approach in the sense that it should not be done too quickly before the Prime Minister has had a chance to discuss his visit here with his political leaders. We felt, therefore, that it would be most important to leave the timing to the discretion of the Ambassador in Rome who would be in the best position to know what would be the most appropriate moment.1
Mr. Porter concluded by saying that the Foreign Office also agreed with us that the French should be invited to support us in this matter and that the Foreign Office was taking this up directly with Paris.
- Instructions to this effect were sent to Rome in telegram 1579, October 6. (750G.00/10–651)↩