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  4. Document 262
No. 262

665.001/3–1051: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Italy 1

secret
Washington , March 10, 1951—1 p.m.

4004. Ital Emb officer called at Dept Mar 92 to leave text ANSA release re satellite rearmament which reported Ital Govt fol closely “also from viewpoint alteration pol and mil equilibrium as forecast when Ital Peace Treaty concluded”. Release added “Ital FonOff in touch with other Allied govts on this important question”.

Emb Officer said according ltr Zoppi to Tarchiani FonOff wanted Dept to know informally ANSA release accurately reflects background against which Ital FonOff considering question revision Peace Treaty (urtel 3929 Mar 83). Said discussion US Senate increases domestic political pressure on Ital Govt to do something about Ital Peace Treaty.4

Dept officers explained present time not considered appropriate for any action on Treaty, especially pending outcome exploratory talks with Sovs. As stated in ltr to Senator Lodge, questions posed for future by mil clauses Ital Treaty under study in Dept. When outcome Sov talks clear will want to reexamine question in light circumstances at that time. Ital Emb officer indicated agreement no action desirable now and stated Ital Govt wld of course take no action without full prior agreement with West Allies.

FYI Dept has taken same line with Brit Emb.

Dept thoroughly agrees Peace Treaty question shld not be injected into technical discussions of US aid (urtel 3920 Mar 85) and continues believe less said about Ital Treaty now the better.

Webb
  1. Drafted by Greene of WE and approved by Byington; repeated to London and Paris.↩
  2. A memorandum of this conversation between Byington, Greene, and Sensi, First Secretary of the Italian Embassy, is in file 665.001/3–951.↩
  3. Supra.↩
  4. On February 25, Senators Thomas Connally and Richard Russell presented a five-part resolution to the Congress concerning the question of European defense. The extended debate over this resolution involved, inter alia, the problem of Italy’s contribution to the Atlantic Pact and how this contribution was restricted by the provisions of the Treaty of Peace.↩
  5. Not printed, but see footnote 3, Document 255.↩