Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Central and Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

668.81/3–2350: Telegram

The Ambassador in Yugoslavia (Allen) to the Secretary of State

confidential

Belgrade, March 23, 1950—6 p. m.

380. Following my return from Athens yesterday,¹ Deputy Foreign Minister Prica asked my impression of likelihood improved Yugo-Greek relations under new Greek Government. I said our Embassy in Athens thought new government² would do whatever it could in this direction.

I asked Prica whether Yugoslavia Government would be receptive to Greek approach. He gave stock reply that Yugoslavian reaction would depend on extent new Greek Government showed “progressive tendencies”. I took occasion say while I hoped new Greek Government would be progressive, I could not believe Yugoslav Government would hold club over head of another government and specify policies other government should adopt as prerequisite to friendly relations. I referred to sensitiveness of Yugoslav Government itself to anything smacking of conditions or outside pressure and reminded him of vulnerable position Yugoslav Government would be in by such tactics.

Prica said Yugoslav Government policy was necessary because of Yugoslavian public opinion. I said I thought Yugoslav Government was making common mistake of recalling only its own public opinion and for letting [forgetting] that of other countries, including Greece, whose government faced equal if not greater necessities in this regard.

I have very definite impression Yugoslav Government is anxious despite its cautious approach for marked improvement Greek-Yugoslavian relations and stage is set for considerable, if not dramatic progress.³

Sent Department 380, repeated Athens 23, pouched Moscow.

Allen

1. Ambassador Allen visited Athens from March 19 to March 22.
2. On March 23, following the Greek general election of March 5, the head of the Greek Liberal Party, Sophocles Venizelos, formed a minority government which lasted until April 14. For documentation on the attitude of the United States toward the Venizelos government, see vol. v, pp. 335 ff.
3. In his telegram 388, March 24, from Belgrade, not printed, Ambassador Allen reported he had repeated his views to Yugoslav Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Popović Allen added that he thought that the attitude of the Yugoslav Government toward Greece should be based solely on whether the Greek Government desired friendly relations with Yugoslavia, regardless of the political persuasion of the Greek ministers. Allen pointed out to Popović that this was the basis of United States relations with Yugoslavia, and he hoped that Yugoslavia would adopt the same attitude toward Greece (668.81/3–2450).