Conference files, lot 59D95, CF95
Declaration by the United States, France, and the United Kingdom on the Italian Peace Treaty1
The Governments of the United States, France, and the United Kingdom have considered for some time how best to resolve, in the interests of the harmonious development of cooperation between [Page 718] the free nations, the problem presented by the Peace Treaty with Italy.
In accordance with the desire of the Italian people, Italy, which loyally cooperated with the Allies during the latter part of the war as a cobelligerent, has reestablished democratic institutions. In the spirit of the United Nations’ Charter Italy has invariably extended to other peaceful and democratic Governments that cooperation indispensable to the solidarity of the free world.
Nevertheless, although Italy has on three occasions received the support of the majority of member states voting in the General Assembly, it is still prevented by an unjustifiable veto from obtaining membership in the United Nations in spite of the provisions of the Treaty and the Charter.
Moreover, Italy is still subject under the Peace Treaty to certain restrictions and disabilities. These restrictions no longer accord with the situation prevailing today nor with Italy’s status as an active and equal member of the democratic and freedom-loving family of nations.
Each of the three Governments therefore declares hereby its readiness to give favorable consideration to a request from the Italian Government to remove so far as concerns its individual relations with Italy, and without prejudice to the rights of third parties, those permanent restrictions and discriminations now in existence which are wholly overtaken by events or have no justification in present circumstances or affect Italy’s capacity for self-defense.
Each of the three Governments hereby reaffirms its determination to make every effort to secure Italy’s membership in the United Nations.
The three Governments trust that this declaration will meet with the wide approval of the other signatories of the Peace Treaty and that they will likewise be prepared to take similar action.
- Issued by the Department of State as press release 866 at noon on September 26.↩