Letter to the President of Italy Following Prime Minister de Gasperi's Visit to the United States.

[Released January 25, 1947. Dated January 20, 1947]

My dear Mr. President:

Upon the occasion of the departure from the United States of Prime Minister de Gasperi, I should like to reassure you, Mr. President, that the United States Government is constantly mindful of the economic difficulties with which the Italian Government is faced and that sincere efforts are being made by our officials to find means to alleviate your country's most urgent needs.

Signor de Gasperi's recent visit in Washington has afforded us a most pleasurable opportunity to review questions of interest to our two Governments. In particular, our officials have received a better understanding of Italy's present requirements and of the outstanding job of reconstruction which your Government and people are undertaking.

In your communication of November 26, 1946, you informed me of the grave emergency with which your Government was confronted due to difficulties in the fulfillment of the UNRRA grain program. That problem has been receiving the most urgent attention of our officials and remains under constant consideration and review. I have authorized a number of emergency measures to ensure that every possible effort shall be made to expedite the delivery of grains to the peoples of the war-torn countries of Europe and Asia. As we have informed Signor de Gasperi, shipments of wheat have been diverted from other areas to meet the immediate requirements of Italy, and we have every expectation of being able to increase scheduled shipments of wheat to Italy beginning next month. Your Prime Minister will inform you of the other measures discussed with him which we fully anticipate will prove mutually beneficial to our two countries.

The American people have many close bonds with the Italian people and it is our sincere desire, in a spirit of fraternal cooperation, to do what we can to assist your country in its efforts to rebuild and strengthen a peaceful, prosperous and democratic Italy.
Very sincerely yours,

HARRY S. TRUMAN

[His Excellency, Enrico de Nicola, Provisional President of the Italian Republic, Rome]