860H.01/935: Telegram
The Counselor of Mission at Algiers (Chapin) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 15—7:23 p.m.]
1965. From Murphy. As Department must be aware the King of Yugoslavia passed through Algiers today travelling on the British Prime Minister’s plane. He was accompanied by Subasitch. Macmillan and General Wilson had a brief conversation with him having been advised by Prime Minister only during last night of the plan to rush negotiations with Marshal Tito with as much despatch as possible.
The King and Subasitch departed for Malta this afternoon and it is planned that Subasitch will proceed Monday to Bari and Vis for purpose of entering into negotiations with Tito and other Partisans.
At Bari, Subasitch hopes to find Topalitch7 who is said to be Mihailovitch’s political adviser and who is said to be ready to go to Vis with Subasitch.
Part of the plan developed in London, I am informed, contemplates an understanding by which under King’s overall authority Tito will assume the military command of all Yugoslav forces and Subasitch the political and civil authority. In other words a Clemenceau–Foch relationship.
Tito, the British inform me, is in a “chastened” mood as a result of recent reverses. In Vis, as I have pointed out, he is much more under British influence and control due to the presence of substantial British forces than was the case in Bosnia. The moment therefore seems to our British friends propitious to strike a bargain and move toward a consolidation of Yugoslav forces. If achieved this would be followed by military, financial and economic accords.
The unknown quantity in all of this is the Mihailovitch reaction; whether he would prove amenable to suasion. I asked Macmillan what bait could be offered and he said that apparently his Government had no fixed notion but that there was always the possibility that he might accept at the hands of the King a promotion and eventually a mission to London.
It is very possible Tito will accept an invitation from General Wilson to visit latter’s headquarters in Italy next Friday for a discussion of military operations. Incidentally there would be some political discussion [Page 1379] and presumably Subasitch and others would attend. If appropriate the King would join the meeting.
Macmillan and I will closely watch developments.
Repeated Cairo for MacVeagh. [Murphy.]
- Zhivko Topalovich.↩