860h.00/10–3045: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
9638. Brit Emb has now communicated to us views of FonOff transmitted in message referred to in urtel 11358 Oct 30 and we have replied to Emb as follows:
- 1.
- We agree that communications should be sent to Tito only,
- 2.
- Paragraph 3 of our note will be reworded to read:
“The US Govt views with concern the developments outlined above which in its opinion demonstrate conclusively that a situation has arisen inimical to the exercise of democratic processes and prejudicial to the validity, as a free and untrammelled expression of the will of all democratic elements of the people, of the elections now contemplated. Election on a common list without an opposition will give no indication of the real views of the Yugoslav people. Unless the Yugoslav Govt can restore freedom of the electorate by fully implementing the guarantees contained in the Tito–Subasic agreement, and particularly those relating to personal freedom and freedom from fear, it is clear that the regime resulting from the forthcoming election will not enjoy the prestige that attaches to a government that is based on a genuine consultation of the people’s will.”
- 3.
- We believe that the last sentence of the Brit draft of paragraph 3 reading “as a result it will lack authority in international affairs and this is bound to have an effect on its relations with Great Britain and the US” might be construed as implying a commitment to withdraw recognition from Yugos Govt should elections be held under present plans and as we would not wish to obligate ourselves to a specific course of action in advance of the event we prefer to omit this sentence.
- 4.
- We feel that, while the third sentence of paragraph 4 should be omitted as no longer applicable in light of above redraft of paragraph 3, we will wish to include in US note the first and second sentences of that paragraph indicating that we consulted with the Soviets before communicating our views to Tito.
- 5.
- As regards question of subsequent publication it seems to us that Tito should be given a reasonable opportunity to reply before we release texts of US and Brit notes to press and consequently we would like to consult with FonOff further before that step is taken.
We hope FonOff will be able to agree to foregoing modifications and accordingly in view of the urgency of the matter US Emb in Belgrade is hereby instructed to address a note to Marshal Tito in accordance with the text contained in Deptel 370 Oct 26 to Belgrade73a as amended by this message as soon as the Brit Emb in Belgrade receives instructions to transmit a parallel similar communication. It is our belief that the Brit and US notes to Tito should be sent to him on the same day.
Sent to London, rptd to Belgrade and Moscow.