INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS OTHER THAN TREATIES [61 STAT. The American Ambassador to the Italian Minister of ForeignAffairs EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA F.o. 18 Rome, July 4, 1947. EXCELLENCY, I have the honor to refer to the Agreement signed today by our two Governments providing for the extension of relief to Italy under the United States Foreign Relief Program, and in that connection I take pleasure in advising Your Excellency of certain interpretations which my Government places upon those clauses of the Agreement which have given rise to oral queries on the part of the Italian Govern- ment. These are identified below by reference to the pertinent Articles and sub-Articles of the Agreement. Ant, p. 313 Article I (D): In response to the suggestion advanced by the Italian Government, the text of the Agreement has been changed to provide that the Government need submit to the United States Government, in advance, its proposed programs for relief import requirements only in the case of United States relief supplies. It is understood however that the United States Government will expect to receive through its Embassy in Rome pertinent information con- cerning supplies from other sources. Ante, p. 313 Article I (E): Although my Government recognizes the delicate problems that may arise from the second sentence of Article I (E), 61tat. , Pt. , p. 125. we are specifically instructed by the Act of Congress of May 31, 1947, as follows: "When it is deemed desirable by the Field Administrator Ante, p. 3142. (Note: Head of the Field Mission described in Article V of the Agreement) ....... such missions shall be empowered to retain possession of such supplies up to the city or local community where such supplies are actually made available to the ultimate consumers". This provision of Article I (E) is therefore obligatory. It is recog- nized, however, that it would be invoked only under highly unusual circumstances and only if other normal distribution arrangements fail to assure proper implementation of the Agreement. Ante, p. 3138 Article II (A): This Article does not in any way require exclusive use of commercial channels for the distribution of United States relief supplies. So long as an equitable distribution to consumers is main- tained, it is agreed that the channels now used by the Italian Govern- ment for similar imports may be used whenever suitable, subject to change in the light of unforeseen circumstances. Ante, p. 3138. Article II (B): The validity of the point raised by the Italian Gov- ernment with respect to the imposition of customs duties and other charges has been recognized. It is not the intention of the Agreement to require a dual pricing system within Italy for commodities ob- tained from two or more sources. The procedure for assuring collec- tions of these taxes and fiscal charges and for determining proper ac- e,p. 3140. cruals to the special account described in Article II (B) can be worked out as part of the pricing procedures described in Article HI (A) with the understanding, however, that those relief supplies which are given 3148
�
