Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The British Commonwealth; Europe, Volume III

811.2365/5–2347: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Italy

confidential
us urgent

Washington, June 20, 1947—8 p.m.

972. On 19 June SWNCC approved final draft Military and Civil Affairs Agreement between US and Italy as basis for negotiations by you through an exchange of notes with Ital Govt.¹

Text agreement approved as in text of annex in ComGenMed tel F 75419 Mar 9² with following amendments:

Para three; second sentence: After “in any case not later than” and before “the coming into force of”, insert “ninety days after”.

Para eight: After “the United States Forces” insert “and organizations or persons employed by or accompanying these forces”.

Para twelve: Delete entire paragraph and substitute following:³ “The Italian Government will continue to make available all services and facilities required by the United States Armed Forces during this period on the same basis as in the past, in consideration for which the United States Government shall pay to the Italian Government the amount of $250,000, which amount shall be considered as full compensation for all such services and facilities furnished by the Italian Government under the terms of this Agreement. All other financial arrangements in effect between the Armed Forces of the United States and the Italian Government on 1 February 1947 shall continue in effect for the period of this Agreement.”

Text of note contained ComGenMed tel F 75419 approved subject to such changes as you might consider appropriate.

Reurtel 1532 June 12,⁴ you may, in your discretion, include suggested changes if requested by Itals and agreeable Gen Lee.

Accordingly, you shd undertake appropriate negotiations at the earliest opportunity and inform Dept of date exchange of notes.

Marshall

1. On June 20 General Hilldring forwarded to the Department of State a copy of SWNCC 271/21, as approved on June 19, indicating that the Department should initiate negotiations on the basis of the draft (memorandum SWN–5489, June 20, not printed, 740.00119 Control (Italy)/6–2047).
2. Not printed, but see telegram 509, March 10, p. 875. The amendments indicated above were incorporated in the agreement signed at Rome on September 3, 1947; see telegram 2601, September 3, p. 964.
3. For a summary of the original paragraph 12, see telegram 509, p. 875.
4. The reference is to telegram 1523, June 12, from Rome, not printed; it listed a series of proposed changes of wording, applicable to the U.S. Forces, on the basis of the text of F 75419 of March 9 (811.2365/6–1247).