Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, Paris Peace Conference: Proceedings, Volume III

CFM Files: Telegram

The Chargé in Italy (Key) to the Assistant Secretary of State (Dunn), at Paris¹⁹

secret
us urgent

Rome, July 25, 1946—12 p.m.
[Received July 29.]

467. For Dunn. Foreign Minister²⁰ states in note giving creditable source that it has been informed an agreement has been signed at Tirana between Albanian Government and Soviet Minister by which former will cede Island of Saseno to Russia.²¹ Minister also states that it appears draft Peace Treaty for Italy (of which Italy has not been informed officially) contains clause contemplating Italy’s renouncing possession of Saseno. Minister accordingly asks if Allied governments realize strategic implications for security and equilibrium of Adriatic that would arise from allowing any great power to place Italy at its complete mercy by controlling Adriatic through possession of Saseno.

Note points out that this particular question underlines again necessity of having problem of Italy’s eastern frontier considered as a whole which would involve its Adriatic aspects.

Text follows.²²

Key

19. Repeated to the Department as No. 3313.
20. Alcide De Gasperi.
21. Colonel Bonesteel prepared a memorandum for Matthews, dated July 31, 1946, on the Saseno question. He cited Joint Chiefs of Staff documents which opposed “the legalized expansion of Russian control into the Mediterranean” as “inimical to the security interests of the United States.” He suggested that the demilitarization of Saseno be proposed in an effort to reduce Russian interest in the island (CFM Files).
22. Not printed.