740.00119 Potsdam/7–2045
No. 1091
United States Delegation
Working Paper1
Policy Toward Italy
The objectives of the Three Governments with regard to Italy are directed toward her early political independence and economic recovery, and the right of the Italian people ultimately to choose their own form of government.
Italy’s present status as co-belligerent and unconditionally surrendered enemy is anomalous, and hampers every effort both by the Allies and by Italy herself, to improve Italy’s economic and political situation. This anomaly can be finally solved only through the negotiation of a definitive Peace Treaty which would at best require some months. The preparation of such a Treaty should be one of the first tasks of the suggested Council of Foreign Ministers, which should be invited to press on with the matter with the utmost expedition.
Meanwhile the Three Governments should agree to certain steps which would afford some further acknowledgement of Italy’s contribution toward the defeat of Germany.
As a first step in this direction the Three Governments should publicly announce their intentions as to the early conclusion of a Peace Treaty; coupled with an undertaking to provide Italy with such economic assistance as is practicable and reiterating the desirability of early elections in Italy.
As a second step, the Allied Commission in Italy should be invited to accelerate the steps already taken to transfer increasing responsibilities to the Italian Government.
Moreover, the Three Governments should agree to suspend those clauses of the terms of surrender which may now be considered as obsolete, retaining as active obligations on the part of Italy those provisions which would constitute undertakings on the part of Italy to assure:
- a.
- Compliance with Allied military requirements, so long as Allied forces remain in Italy or operate therefrom.
- b.
- Safeguards for the equitable settlement of questions regarding disposition of military or naval armament, reparations, territorial settlements, or other matters requiring detailed and technical study in the negotiation of the final peace treaty.
- c.
- The maintenance by the Italian Government of only the military, [Page 1085] naval or air forces or equipment, as authorized by the Allies, and compliance with all instructions on the subject of such forces and equipment.
To accomplish these purposes the Three Governments should agree to authorize their respective Ambassadors in Italy,2 in consultation with the Supreme Allied Commander,3 together to place before their respective Governments a report stipulating those provisions of the terms of surrender to be henceforth considered as inoperative, approval of the Three Governments then to be sought through diplomatic channels.
- Authorship not indicated. This paper constitutes the enclosure to document No. 726.↩
- Alexander Kirk, American Ambassador: Sir Noel Charles, Bart., British High Commissioner; and Mikhail Alexeyevich Kostyiev, Soviet Ambassador.↩
- Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander.↩