740.00119 Control (Italy)/6–945: Telegram
The Ambassador in Yugoslavia (Patterson) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 9—10:48 p.m.]
148. Following is text of letter to me dated June 9 signed by Dr. Ivan Subasic. It is not to be published until mutual decision has been reached regarding publication of the agreement:
“Your Excellency: On the occasion of the conclusion of the military agreement between the Government of Democratic Federative Yugoslavia and the Governments of the United States and Great Britain concerning the occupation and the administration of Venezia Giulia, I have the honor to communicate to you the following declaration of the Yugoslav Government with the request to bring it to the knowledge of the Government of the United States of America.
The Government of Democratic Federative Yugoslavia have decided to conclude with the Governments of the United States of America and Great Britain the military agreement as proposed by the note of June the 2nd, 1945.65a
The Yugoslav Government are fully aware how much the feelings and interests of the Yugoslav population in Istria, in Trieste and in the Slovene Littoral, as well as those of all the Yugoslav peoples are hurt by the fact that a greater part of the Yugoslav Army on the request of our Allies has to withdraw from the territories which it had liberated from the enemy yoke at the cost of so many sacrifices, and especially as almost all the places with the exception of Trieste are inhabited by compact Yugoslav population.
The Yugoslav Government, however, took this decision in order to prevent on their part every possible cause which might lead to an eventual conflict, to preserve the friendship of the Allied Armies achieved in the fierce fighting, and in order also to promote and fortify good relations with their Allies securing and reinforcing by that the peace in Europe.
The Yugoslav Government are confident that their decision will in no way prejudice the justified national claims of Yugoslavia as well as the claims of the population of Istria, Trieste, and the Slovene Littoral, who in the course of this war have risen in the fight against the common enemies, the Fascist Italy and the Nazi Germany, and [Page 1183] have made enormous sacrifices for the Allied cause, proving by that in a most manifest way their desire to be included in Democratic Federative Yugoslavia.
At the same time, the Yugoslav Government hope that in the working out of the detailed arrangements involved in the military agreement favorable provisions will be made in order to secure the interests of the local Slav population and Yugoslavia.
The Yugoslav Government avail themselves of this opportunity to state that in the area concerned no confiscation of properties or deportations, and no arrests were made by the Yugoslav authorities except on the ground of military security and this only when persons known as prominent Fascists or war criminals were in question.
In communicating the foregoing, I beg Your Excellency, to accept the assurance of my highest consideration.”