740.00119 Control (Italy)/9–2745
The American Embassy in Yugoslavia to the Yugoslav Ministry for Foreign Affairs 93
The American Embassy presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has the honor to refer to the Ministry’s Note No. 1938 of July 17, 1945,94 concerning the Allied Military Government administration of Venezia Giulia. Pursuant to instructions from its Government,95 the Embassy has the honor to convey the following reply to the Ministry’s note under reference.
[Page 1199]The claim of the Yugoslav Government that the Belgrade Agreement of June 9 has been disregarded by Allied officials in the Allied-occupied sector of Venezia Giulia is emphatically rejected by the American Government. The assertion that the Supreme Allied Commander has restored the laws of Mussolini is totally unsupportable and inacceptable. Actually, the basic civil law of Italy, purged of fascist elements, has been restored by the Supreme Allied Commander, in conformity with international law and the usages of military government.
The American Government considers that there is no foundation for the view that the prefectorial system of government is undemocratic, or that the committee system of administration can claim a monopoly of democratic principles. The guiding principle followed by the Allied Military Government is that the government be representative of the people, which is of primary importance.
Under Allied Military Government, Slovenes and Italians have equal rights and both have been given opportunities for participation in the administration. Only those local committees which have shown themselves to be incapable of functioning or unrepresentative have been eliminated; all others have been retained. Moreover, it is hoped to hold local elections throughout the area at an early date.
The action taken by the Supreme Allied Commander in the institution of Allied Military Government in Venezia Giulia has the full approval of the American Government, which cannot accept the contention of the Yugoslav Government that Allied administered territory has been brought to a position worse than that of occupied enemy areas.
The American Government holds that it has carried out fully and honorably all obligations incurred by it under the Belgrade Agreement and it is unable to concur in the suggestion of the Yugoslav Government that the Yugoslav system of committee administration be applied to the area of Venezia Giulia now under Allied administration.
Aside from the considerations set forth above, the conduct of the Yugoslav press and radio since the signing of the Belgrade Agreement has provided an additional reason for rejecting the Yugoslav system of committee administration. The arguments advanced by Yugoslav publicity agencies for the retention of National Liberation Committees, Peoples Courts and Peoples Militia have made it apparent that the organizations in question would be used to further the political aims of the Yugoslav Government and to secure the cession of the whole area to Yugoslavia.
The American Government understands the interest of the people of Yugoslavia in conditions prevailing in Venezia Giulia, but is unable [Page 1200] to comprehend the assertion that the majority of the population in the area are Yugoslav nationals. Inhabitants of the area, Slovene and Italian alike, are Italian nationals and can have no other status unless and until the peace settlement makes other provision for them.
The desire of the Yugoslav Government for close Allied relations is reciprocated by the American Government, which is convinced that such relations can be strengthened by the cooperation of the two Governments in expediting the establishment of democratic government throughout the entire area of Venezia Giulia. Confident that the desire of the Yugoslav people to support democratic principles in their own and in other countries is the basic reason for their interest in Venezia Giulia, the American Government assures the Government of Yugoslavia that the same desire prompts a corresponding interest on the part of the American people in conditions existing in areas of Venezia Giulia under Yugoslav administration. Accordingly, the Embassy requests that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicate whether the Yugoslav Government would agree to the attachment of a small liaison mission to the Yugoslav Administrative Headquarters to act as observers in the same manner as the Yugoslav mission attached to the Allied Military Commander in the area.
The Embassy avails itself [etc.]
- Copy transmitted to the Department in despatch 131, September 27, 1945, from Belgrade; received October 17. The British Embassy addressed a similar note on the next day to the Yugoslav Government.↩
- Conference of Berlin (Potsdam), vol. ii, p. 1215.↩
- In Department’s telegram 294, September 7, 8 p.m., the Ambassador was instructed to deliver in concert with his British colleague a note to the Yugoslav Government along the lines of this note (740.00119 Control (Italy)/9–745).↩