740.5/4–1954

No. 188
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Italy (Luce) 1
top secret

Dear Clare: Thanks for your letter of April 19 with its enclosure.2 I read this before seeing Piccioni. Also, you will have received my telegram reporting my talk with him.3

I think I did reassure him with respect to the importance we attach to Trieste. I hope he does not feel that Trieste is lost in our thinking about other matters. In fact, I am constantly thinking of the Trieste problem. When I was in London ten days ago, Anthony Eden and I had a full review from our ambassadors with respect to developments. I think some progress is being made, but all too slowly. I did what I could to speed matters up.

If I do not have to return via Paris, I may return via Milan, and accept Scelba’s invitation to meet with him thereabouts. If I do that, I would of course hope that you could be present.

With many thanks for the last paragraph of your letter, I am

Sincerely yours,

John Foster Dulles
  1. Dulles attended the Geneva Conference Apr. 24–May 3.
  2. Document 185.
  3. supra .