Doc. No. 11 (E).
Memorandum (Art. 64)
undated
Article 64
At the present moment the Italian Delegation is not in a position to
express its opinion on the question of reparations, owing to the fact
that the draft Peace Treaty contains the reservation to examine the
requests sent in by the other Powers which, besides Russia, claim
reparation from Italy. The Italian Delegation ignores what this
reservation may be.
Concerning the problem of reparation, the Italian Delegation refers in
principle to what it set forth in the Memorandum concerning the economic
consequences of the Peace Treaty.
It will give its full attention to this problem—examining the amounts,
sources of payment and time limit as referred to the paying power of
Italian economy in the general framework of the burdens to be imposed on
Italy—as soon as it is informed of the exact requests of the Powers
asserting the right to reparations from Italy.
In the attached document, the Italian Delegation merely makes some
remarks of a strictly technical nature concerning the clauses of Article
64.
[Attachment]
Memorandum on the Clauses Concerning the Terms
for the Payment of Reparations to Russia (Art. 64)
Article 64
1. In order to leave no doubt as to the interpretation of the
provision under letter A, 2 b and in order
that it may be more easily applied, the following modifications are
suggested;
- a.
- A different wording which, for obvious reasons, would make
it quite clear that the provision refers to “net assets”;
- b.
- The addition of the following words at the end of the
paragraph “and according to special agreements that may be
drawn up between Russia and Italy”. The purpose of this
would be to see if it is not possible for some firms to
remain in the countries in which they now reside, in the
interest of these countries themselves.
The paragraph would then read as follows:
“Italian net assets in Roumania,
Bulgaria and Hungary, subject to the exceptions specified in
paragraph 5 of Article 69 and according to
special agreements that may be drawn up between Russia
and Italy.”
[Page 189]
2. Regarding the provision under letter A, 5 b, it is suggested that an Italian representative should take
part in the evaluation of Italian assets. These are technical
matters which call for consultation and it may even be necessary to
have recourse to a technical Committee of Arbitration to dispel any
uncertainty or clear up any disagreements that may arise.
It would be advisable to make it quite clear that the above refers
also to installations. Consequently the paragraph might be worded as
follows:
“The four Ambassadors, in consultation with
an Italian representative, shall determine the
value of the Italian industrial machinery
and installations and of the Italian assets to be
transferred to the U.S.S.R.”
