Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Western European Security, Volume V, Part 1

740.5/9–2552: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Gifford) to the Department of State ¹

secret

London, September 25, 1952—7 p.m.

1755. FonOff advises that Eden asked De Gasperi in Strasbourg if Italian ratification EDC “could not be accelerated.” De Gasperi, taking advantage of the fact that they had been prevously discussing Trieste, replied that so long as the problem of Trieste remained unsolved there wld be difficulty in persuading the Italians that their armed forces cld be merged in a European defense community. According to Eden’s report of the conversation, the matter was left there.

Pursuant to Deptel 2132, Sept 24,² Embassy officers stated the view of the Dept that early parallel action by separate informal approaches at a high level in Rome shld be made, and observed that this appeared to be all the more desirable in view of the unsatisfactory response to Eden.

FonOff rep deprecated significance of De Gasperi’s reference to Trieste and said that FonOff wld wish to know what transpired between Adenauer and De Gasperi before raising the matter again with the Italians and said that it would also have to be referred to Eden, who is expected to return Saturday. FonOff promised to advise us of Brit position as soon as possible.³

Gifford

1. Repeated to Paris, Rome, and Bonn.
2. Not printed; it urged that the United Kingdom join with the United States in informally approaching the Italian Government to request an early ratification of the EDC Treaty as a “great service to cause of Eur unification and to speeding up Fr and Benelux ratification” (740.5/9–2452).
3. In telegram 1966 from London, Oct. 3, Gifford informed the Department that the Foreign Office feared that the Italian Government might use the occasion of a joint Anglo-American representation urging EDC ratification to link a settlement of the Trieste issue to approval of the EDC (740.5/10–352). In telegram 1561 to Rome, Oct. 9, Acheson stated that the Department shared British concern regarding Trieste and the ratification of the EDC Treaty and “therefore unilateral representations requested Deptel 2132 London need not be made if in Emb opinion will not contribute objective early ratification or will encourage Itals to link Trieste problem to EDC approval” (740.5/10–352).