Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

NLT (Naval Aidelpr US DEPARTMENT OF STATE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON May 8, 1950 IOP S E € R T SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS ITALY Ambassador Dunn in Rome is impressed by the deep feeling of top Italian officials and the desire of Italy to play a more responsible role in closer collaboration with the US, UK and France in the formulation and implementation of the objec tives of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. While the Embassy believes that it would be wrong to say that responsible officials harbor actual resentment at continued Italian exclusion from the inner councils, yet there is some discouragement at the feeling that Italy still is considered with some distrust and treated as an unreliable and junior partner des - pite the most earnest efforts of the government to pursue a faithful and positive pro-western policy in the face of considerable opposition. Our Ambassador reminds us that in the present Italian government leaders the US has friends who in loyalty and cooperativeness it would be diffi- cult if not impossible to replace. While there is as yet no serious trend toward neutrality in Italy, Dunn believes it prudent to take every possible action to forestall such a tendency. He strongly urges con- sideration at this stage of the possibility of taking Italy into closer con- fidence and fuller partnership at least in connection with common pro- blems of direct and vital interest to Italy. GERMANY In reporting on the current situation in Germany, High Commissioner McCloy states his belief that if we act with continuity and good sense in our relations with Germany and if there is no defection among the other western European powers, there is little doubt that West Germany will act with the west. However, he believes that the situation requires continuous pressure and explana- tion on the part of the High Commission and decision, or at the least understandings, in the London conference to take further steps to im- press the Federal Republic with western strength and determination. In connection with the foregoing, McCloy has attempted to impress upon DECLASSIFIED E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 T OP SECERE T State Dept. Guidelines, March 6, 1982 By, DCB NLT, Date 5-19-85