860H.01/940: Telegram
The Consul General at Naples (Brandt) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 18—4:10 p.m.]
233. From Kirk11 from Murphy. Reference my telegram of June 11 from Algiers with regard to the passage of King Peter of Yugoslavia through Algiers.
The British representative at Bari12 reported on June 15 that he had seen Tito the night of June 14 and handed to him a letter from Churchill and in so doing emphasized the importance attached by the British Government to attainment of an agreement between him and Yugoslav Government and King.
Tito replied that he also was anxious to reach such an agreement if possible. The proof of that was that he had invited Subasic to meet him. He had spent the greater part of the day in preliminary conversations with Subasic and intended to get down to business with Subasic in the presence of those among his advisors who are with him on the Island of Vis. Tito said that he was confident a practical working arrangement could be reached. He did not exclude the possibility of meeting the King later on. Tito pointed out, however, that only a minority of his advisors were with him and it would be necessary to consult the remainder by radio. He repeated his conviction of a possibility of a working arrangement with Subasic regardless of what the final decision about meeting King Peter might be.
Mr. Broad reported that a very cordial reception by the Partisans was given the British representatives at Vis. Apparently Tito was pleased and flattered by the fact that Subasic and British representatives had visited him. Broad said he expected to receive a reply to [Page 1381] Churchill’s letter that evening (June 14). He added that he had seen Subasic that evening after the latter’s conversation with Tito and Subasic seemed tired but fairly satisfied.
The British representative at Bari reported on June 16 that negotiations between Subasic and Tito seemed to be going reasonably well and Tito was apparently showing himself to be well disposed and anxious to conclude working arrangement. Some measure of cooperation between Tito and Yugoslav Government seemed likely as the final outcome. That Subasic and Tito should make some sort of a joint declaration also seemed to be possible and these were being drafted. There also seemed to be a possibility of a joint communiqué being issued for immediate publication.
The SAC13 who invited Tito to visit him at Caserta and who had also made arrangements to have Subasic and King Peter present in case negotiations should be concluded successfully was informed by Brigadier Maclean on June 16 that Tito had withheld his reply to General Wilson’s invitation to visit Caserta as a result of the subsequent suggestion that he (Tito) should also see King Peter at Caserta. Maclean is expected here today and it is also anticipated that Tito’s Chief of Staff will arrive tomorrow. Subasic is also expected to arrive this evening with King Peter.
Prevailing sentiment at Caserta is that in these initial conversations, definite conclusions will not be readied on a number of points but that considerable progress looking towards some form of rapprochement will be made.
Repeated to Cairo for MacVeagh. [Kirk, Murphy.]