CFM Files
United States Delegation Journal
USDel (PC) (Journal) 45
The Commission unanimously adopted paragraph 1 of Article 66 (Renunciation of Claims), with a reservation by the Soviet Delegation that it accepted the paragraph subject to the inclusion of a special provision in the treaty regarding the extension of this and certain other economic clauses to Albania. The Yugoslav representative explained the reasons underlying the Yugoslav amendment to Article 66, paragraph 4 [C.P. (Gen.) Doc.1.U.19], by which Italy would be required to assume responsibility for military currency issued by Yugoslav occupation forces in Zone B. At the suggestion of Mr. Gregory (U.K.) the Commission agreed to consider this proposal in connection with Annex 3 (Economic and Financial Provisions Relating to Ceded Territories). The Commission unanimously adopted paragraph 5 of Article 66 without discussion. The Yugoslav representative spoke in support of a Yugoslav amendment to Article 66, paragraph 6 (submarine cables) [C.P. (Gen.) Doc.1.U.19], by which Italy would renounce ownership rights over Italian cables connecting points in the territory of an Allied or Associated Power and over one-half of cables connection [connecting?] a point in the territory of an Allied or Associated Power and a point in Italy. At the suggestion of Mr. Thorp (U.S.) the Commission agreed to consider this problem in connection with Article 69 (Italian Property in Territory of Allied and Associated Powers) and to adjourn discussion of paragraph 6 until Article 69 had been considered. The Commission considered at length a Greek amendment providing for payment to Greece by Italy of $783,000 (in gold), a sum which had been advanced to Italian nationals as a war indemnity. The representatives of France, the USSR and the U.S. explained that the problem was not related to Article 66 and that it should [Page 478] be regarded as an item in the Greek claim for reparation and urged that the amendment be rejected. The Commission rejected the amendment without a roll-call vote by 16 votes to 1 with 3 abstentions.
The Commission then considered Article 67 (Renunciation of Claims against Germany) and the Yugoslav amendment providing that Italy would recognize the full rights of Inter-Allied Reparation Agency over German property in Italy, which was placed at the disposal of IARA in accordance with the Potsdam Agreement, and providing that Italy would undertake to facilitate the transfer of such property. The Yugoslav representative attempted to demonstrate, by reference to Potsdam and the Final Act of the Paris Conference on Reparation, that the allocation of German property in Italy among reparation recipients was to be determined by the Peace Conference. As the draft treaty contained no reference to German assets in Italy, the Yugoslav amendment was designed to remedy this omission. He regarded this problem as of such importance that he wished to circulate the relevant documents to the members of the Commission before a final decision was taken. This proposal to defer consideration was accepted by the Commission.
The Commission considered and rejected, without a roll-call vote, by 10 votes to 2, with 8 abstentions, an Ethiopian amendment to paragraph 1 of Article 68, providing for the return of UN property in Italy within eighteen months. The Ethiopian representative said that this was necessary to give the provision a legal form. The Yugoslav Delegation withdrew its amendment to paragraph 1 of Article 68 regarding the date on which the Allied and Associated Powers had entered the war against Italy. Subject to a reference to the Legal and Drafting Commission of a minor difference in the drafting of the French, English and Russian texts, the Commission unanimously adopted paragraph 1 of Article 68.
The Commission decided to revise its work program, so that it would take up Articles 64–B (Reparation to countries other than the USSR) on Wednesday, September 25.