Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 61 Part 3.djvu/481

 INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS OTHER THAN TREATIES [61 STAT. Disposition of Italian navy and merchant marine. Post, p. 2769. Decisions of U. N. Ships for active as- sistance. Ships reduced to care and maintenance basis. Declaration ofnames, etc., of U. N. ships in Italian possession. Agent of Allied Commander-in-chief. OFrrIC OF THE COLMANDER-IN-CHIEr, MEDmITRRANEANv. B3rd September, 1943 MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT ON THE EMPLOYMENT AND DIS- POSITION OF THE ITALIAN FLEET AND MERCANTILE MARINE BETWEEN THE ALLIED NAVAL COMMANDER IN CHIEF, MEDITER - RANEAN, ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE ALLIED COMMANDER IN CHIEF AND THE ITALIAN MINISTER OF MARINE The armistice having been signed between the Head of the Italian Government and the Allied Commander-in-Chief under which all Italian warships and the Italian Mercantile Marine were placed un- conditionally at the disposal of the United Nations, and H. M. The King of Italy and the Italian Government having since expressed the wish that the Fleet and the Italian Mercantile Marine should be em- ployed in the Allied effort to assist in the prosecution of the war against the Axis powers, the following principles are established on which the Italian Navy and Mercantile Marine will be disposed. It is understood and agreed that the provisions of this Agreement as to immediate employment and disposition of Italian warships and merchant ships do not affect the right of the United Nations to make such other dispositions of any or all Italian ships as they may think fit. Their decisions in this respect will be notified to the Italian Gov- ernment from time to time. (A) Such ships as can be employed to assist actively in the Allied effort will be kept in commission and will be used under the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean as may be arranged between the Allied Commander-in-Chief and the Italian Government. (B) Ships which cannot be so employed will be reduced to a care and maintenance basis and be placed in designated ports, measures of disarmament being undertaken as may be necessary. (C) The Government of Italy will declare the names and where- abouts of (i) Warships (ii) Merchant ships now in their possession which previously belonged to any of the United Nations. These vessels are to be returned forthwith as may be directed by the Allied Commander-in-Chief. This will be without prejudice to negotiations between the Governments which may subsequently be made in connection with replacing losses of ships of the United Nations caused by Italian action. (D) The Allied Naval Commander-in-Chief will act as the agent of the Allied Commander-in-Chief in all matters concerning 2766

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