139. Telegram From the Embassy in Italy to the Department of State1
1340. Re Embtel 1339.2 When I presented message from President Eisenhower to Gronchi today he asked me to assure US President that foreign policy of Italy is unalterably anchored to Atlantic Alliance and European unity. Later, after repeating above, he said that US and Italy must work closely together to defeat Soviet efforts to encroach on free world.
In discussion of ME I told Gronchi that US recognized Italy’s special interest this area and we would continue to work closely with them on mutual ME problems. Gronchi stressed importance of developing urgently some plan to help ME peoples before too late. He emphasized that such plan should envisage immediate, short-range projects such as buying crops which ME countries could not market other than to Soviet bloc.
Gronchi raised question of need for coordinating US-Ital policy in petroleum fields. After I explained USG position in relation to US oil companies Gronchi suggested that it would be helpful to have discussions between high US rep and Ital Govt re petroleum problems. He emphasized this personal suggestion but he assured me that Ital Govt would welcome such discussions. He proposed such discussions might take place when Nixon here but I said this not best occasion in view VP’s time and nature of trip.3 I suggested high US petroleum expert might visit Rome on some other occasion and possibly could then discuss with Ital Govt. (Believe Dept should consider this proposal.)
[Page 433]Conversation was friendly and I believe generally helpful.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.65/10–1057. Confidential. Zellerbach met with Dulles on September 25. After the meeting, Dulles spoke to the President concerning a possible message to Gronchi. [6½ lines of text not declassified]
Dulles sent a memorandum to Zellerbach, September 25, indicating the President’s assent and enclosing a text of the message. (Ibid., 711.11–EI/9–2557) Zellerbach returned to Italy on September 28.
↩- In telegram 1339 from Rome, October 10, Zellerbach reported that when he
delivered Eisenhower’s
message to Gronchi, the
Italian Foreign Office requested that a text of the message be made
public. Zellerbach then
transmitted the text he had approved, which reads as follows:
“The President asked that on my return to Italy I give you his warm personal greetings and say again how much he enjoyed seeing you in Washington last year. The President commented on the leading role which Italy is playing in contributing toward European unity and the forging of an effective Western foreign policy. He mentioned particularly Italy’s leading part in the creation of the Common Market and EURATOM.
“The President expressed confidence that Italy will continue the same steadfast and successful foreign policy which has enabled our countries to cooperate so closely to our mutual advantage.” (Ibid., 711.11–EI/10–1957)
↩ - On October 17, the Department of State announced that the Vice President’s proposed trip to Europe was being postponed until the following year. (Department of State Bulletin, November 4, 1957, p. 713)↩