SUMMARY OF ITALIAN PAPER United States policy toward Italy is, briefly, to encourage the development of Italy into a democratic and constructive force in the future Europe and to assist Italy to become politically independent and economically self-supporting as quickly as possible. The steps which this Government has taken to date to implement these policies are recounted. Major questions of policy which might be taken up with the British and Soviet Governments and their concurrence obtained are: (1) Supersession of the Italian instrument of surrender (long and short terms) by a convention to terminate the state of war between Italy and the United Nations; (2) Italian request for the participation in United Nations international bodies and conferences as an associated nation; (3) Italian participation, as an associated nation, in the German surrender instrument; (4) Italian Committee of National Liberation as a basis for representative government during the interim period; (5) Italian national elections, after the Germans have been expelled, to determine the form of government and constitution which the Italian people desire; (6) Italian participation in the war against Japan. Questions which the British or Soviet Governments may raise concerning Italy requiring this Government to take a position are as follows: (1) Allied support of the House of Savoy during the interim period; (2) Territorial dispositions and reparations; (3) Progress of defascistization in Italy; (4) Use of Allied forces to support the Italian Government in the event of civil war. |