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THINK TOP SECHE ARGHIVES "NATIONAL RECORDS AND -3- : SERVICE** Count Sforza asked for a frank expression of my views as to what is likely to happen at this session of the General Assembly. I replied that my answer would necessarily have to be a specula- tive one but it appears to me that the most probabl result is a postponement of a decision. Gount Sforza said that from Italy's standpoint this might be a good idea but that in his opinion it would be a considerable blow at the prestige of the UN. During the course of the conversation, Count Sforza said that without the approval or the Italian Cabinet he had told both Mr. Dulles and Mr. Melleil that, in answer to the lithiopian argument that Italy's presence in and Somaliland might again be a pincer force against Ethiopia, be personally would favor Italy' renouncing any claim to be administering authority in Somaliland and the nomination of Italy for administering authority for Eritrea. He added that in this contingeney he would favor ceding the Port of Massawa to Ethiopia and perhaps part of northwest Eritrea to the Sudan. lie urged strongly that the two Italian cities of Assab and Asmara not be turned over to Ethiopia. He said that e solution along these lines would answor completely the pincer argument of Ethiopia. Count Sforma stressed the fact that he had repe atedly made the claim that he did not believe in colonies and he deplored the absence of a broader approsch to the whole African problem. He said that he had suggested to Hector KoNeil that perhaps a broad approach to the whole African problem along the general lines of Prosident Truman's Point IV proposals might point the way to a generally sstisfactory solution but that he had had no immediate response from Mr. Molleil. He said that Italy had much to offer to any movement to build up Africa, particularly in the form of manpower and he pointed to the fact that thousands of Italian workmen have been used in Renya and elsewhere in Africa to do labor which other nationalities would not perform. Count Sforza then inquired what in my opinion he should say to the press as he left my office. After a brief exchange of views he agreed to say that he had returned to Washington to discuss with me several aspects of Italo-American relations which we had not had time to discuss during en earlier conversation with me prior to the signature of the North Atlantic Pact. TOP SECRET EUR : JdHickerson :mss :elm

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    "ocrText": "THINK\nTOP SECHE\nARGHIVES \"NATIONAL RECORDS AND\n-3-\n:\nSERVICE**\nCount Sforza asked for a frank expression of my views as to\nwhat is likely to happen at this session of the General Assembly.\nI replied that my answer would necessarily have to be a specula-\ntive one but it appears to me that the most probabl result is a\npostponement of a decision. Gount Sforza said that from Italy's\nstandpoint this might be a good idea but that in his opinion it\nwould be a considerable blow at the prestige of the UN.\nDuring the course of the conversation, Count Sforza said that\nwithout the approval or the Italian Cabinet he had told both\nMr. Dulles and Mr. Melleil that, in answer to the lithiopian argument\nthat Italy's presence in and Somaliland might again be a\npincer force against Ethiopia, be personally would favor Italy'\nrenouncing any claim to be administering authority in Somaliland\nand the nomination of Italy for administering authority for\nEritrea. He added that in this contingeney he would favor ceding\nthe Port of Massawa to Ethiopia and perhaps part of northwest\nEritrea to the Sudan. lie urged strongly that the two Italian\ncities of Assab and Asmara not be turned over to Ethiopia.\nHe said that e solution along these lines would answor completely\nthe pincer argument of Ethiopia.\nCount Sforma stressed the fact that he had repe atedly\nmade the claim that he did not believe in colonies and he\ndeplored the absence of a broader approsch to the whole African\nproblem. He said that he had suggested to Hector KoNeil that\nperhaps a broad approach to the whole African problem along the\ngeneral lines of Prosident Truman's Point IV proposals might\npoint the way to a generally sstisfactory solution but that he\nhad had no immediate response from Mr. Molleil. He said that Italy\nhad much to offer to any movement to build up Africa, particularly\nin the form of manpower and he pointed to the fact that thousands\nof Italian workmen have been used in Renya and elsewhere in\nAfrica to do labor which other nationalities would not perform.\nCount Sforza then inquired what in my opinion he should say to\nthe press as he left my office. After a brief exchange of views\nhe agreed to say that he had returned to Washington to discuss\nwith me several aspects of Italo-American relations which we had\nnot had time to discuss during en earlier conversation with me\nprior to the signature of the North Atlantic Pact.\nTOP SECRET\nEUR : JdHickerson :mss :elm"
}