860S.00/3–2248: Telegram
The Ambassador in Yugoslavia (Cannon) to the Secretary of State
333. Foreign Minister at 12 noon handed me following note numbered 47517, dated March 22:
“Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Fed. People’s Republic of Yugoslavia has the honour to acknowledge to the Embassy of the US of America the receipt of a copy of the memorandum presented by the Government of US of America to the Government of the USSR.
“The Government of the Fed. People’s Republic of Yugoslavia most emphatically protests against the way in which the Government of the US of America, in agreement with the British Government and the French Government, has proposed to raise the question of a modification of the provisions of the Italian Peace Treaty regarding the future of the City of Trieste, since while in the proposal the necessity of Italy’s agreement had been stressed, no mention was made of the need for an agreement of the most directly interested Allied country—Yugoslavia.
“Such an attitude provides the reason for the opinion that the aim of this proposal was not to find out a better solution of the Trieste issue and the normalization of relations between two nations in south Europe, but that it had a propagandists character not contributing to the consolidation of peace in the world.
“On this occasion, the Government of the Fed. People’s Republic of Yugoslavia considers necessary to recall the following facts in connection with the Trieste issue:
- “1. It was the Government of the US of America, the British Government, and the French Government which had engaged themselves for such a solution of the Trieste question as was mainly inserted, at the end, into the Peace Treaty.
- “2. The Government of the US of America, the British Government, and the French Government were, in fact, making efforts that no direct agreement between Italy and Yugoslavia as regards Trieste should be reached although the possibility for the solution of the issue by agreement was clearly evident.
- “3. The Government of the US of America, the British Government, and the French Government were in the Security Council systematically impeding any agreement on the choice of the person of the Governor of Trieste.
- “4. The American-British Military Government, while giving full liberty to Fascist and Chauvinistic Italian elements, hindered the appeasing in the Free Territory of Trieste, thus poisoning the relations between Yugoslavia and Italy.
- “5. The American-British Government in Trieste has, by introducing an absolute totalitarian military regime, lacking any cooperation [Page 520] with the people, deprived the people of Trieste of all basic democratic rights and of all liberty. The American-British zone of the Free Territory of Trieste is the only area in liberated Europe where up to this very day no elections whatsoever for the autonomous bodies have been held.
- “6. By the new proposal of the US of America, Great Britain, and France, the appeasing in the Free Territory of Trieste has been rendered even more difficult since the democratic will of the Trieste population has been fully disregarded and—on the other hand—still more difficult has been made any agreement between the Fed. People’s Republic of Yugoslavia and the Italian Republic on the Trieste question, what would doubtlessly be the best contribution to good neighbourly relations between the peoples of the two countries.
- “7. Finally the Government of the Fed. People’s Republic of Yugoslavia considers that the presenting of such a proposal during the pre-election campaign in Italy can serve exclusively to the inflaming of Chauvinistic hatred towards the Yugoslav peoples and on the other hand, to a sharpening of the internal political relations in Italy, neither being in the interest of the Italian people themselves or in that of the consolidation of peace in this part of Europe.
“The Minister of Foreign Affairs avails, etc.”
Sent Department 333; repeated Moscow, London, Rome, Paris, Trieste.