740.00119 Control (Italy)/5–2145: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to Mr. Alexander C. Kirk, Political Adviser to the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater, at Caserta
507. Your 2262, May 21, 9 a.m.54 and Belgrade’s 102 same day. With regard to Tito’s three conditions we believe
- (a)
- That if Yugoslav participation is permitted in military government it should be on a token basis only and subject to the authority of the local Allied Military Commander; that equal participation in AMG would prejudice the principles we have constantly maintained.
- (b)
- That there is no objection to units of the Yugoslav Army remaining if they come under the authority of SAC, who will have full authority to determine their extent and the period of their usefulness.
- (c)
- That we should ascertain SAC’s views regarding the use of civil authorities already set up in the areas to come under his control in view of the change in the situation since he first made those proposals; that recently established Yugoslav administrations in Venezia Giulia may not fulfil his requirements for a satisfactory administration and that, in any event, Yugoslav administration recently established would not be utilized by SAC’s AMG in centers of purely Italian population.
We agree that we should accede to Yugoslav Government’s suggestion to open negotiations in Belgrade immediately but only on condition that Yugoslav Government first issues orders for withdrawal of its forces from the area west of the lines which the President and the Prime Minister agreed was necessary for Allied control and which formed the basis of the U.S. note to the Yugoslav Government on May 15.55
We are informing the British Government, through the Embassy here, of our position as outlined above.
Please report urgently to what extent latest Yugoslav counterproposals meet SAC’s requirements.
[Page 1172]Sent to Caserta. Repeated to Belgrade, London, and Moscow for information.