THE ITALIAN COLONIES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21823, 20 September 1945, Page 2

THE ITALIAN COLONIES

FUTURE CONTROL PROBLEM AMERICAN CONTROVERSY NEW YORK, Sept. 3. The New York Times says that the future of the Italian colonies Is igported to be causing a major controversy in the State Department. One school of thought argues that Eritrea, Libya and Italian Somaliland should return to Italy. Another favours administration by the United States, Britain, France, Russia or a neutral commission under the United Nations. Underlying the dispute, the importance of which has increased because of the impending Foreign Ministers’ conference in London, appears to be the conception of the relations between the Western Powers and the Soviets. The Department's Office of European Affairs is said to feel that Italian administration of these territories would prevent Russian participation, which it thinks is unwarranted, in view of the Soviet’s reluctance to permit AngloAmerican co-administration in eastern Europe, in spite of the Yalta agreemerits. The" Near Eastern African Office proposes rule by the United Nations, because Italian control is seen as a move to help a former enemy against an ally. The Secretary of Stale, Mr. James F. Byrnes, is reported to be studying a compromise plan for Italian administration under United Nations’ control.