668.67/11–150: Telegram
The Ambassador in Yugoslavia (Allen) to the Secretary of State
434. I have just pressed Acting FonMin Mates on subject of Athens 18, Oct 24, sent Dept as 1381,1 which reached me only last night. [Page 1493] Mates said that while he was unable to give me assurances on basis of formal decision of YuGov, he nevertheless expressed personal confidence that the 100 or so GNA soldiers in question could be returned to Greece “very shortly and perhaps within few days.” He expressed pleasure at result of conversation between Amb Peurifoy and Prime Min Venizelos and said he hoped this development would lead to further normalization of political and economic relations with Greece. He referred particularly to reopening of rail communications.
I expressed my own pleasure at this development, but added that I would keep fingers crossed since there had been so many false alarms in this matter. He said only thing he could envisage which might interrupt progress would be any further unfortunate public statements by officials in either country. He cited current “extraordinary” efforts by Yugo to solve question of Greek children as evidence of Yugo desire to improve relations.
In order for any substantial or long-range improvement in Greek-Yugo relations to take place, I believe it preferable for this development to appear as result of direct negotiations and not from any US intervention in Belgrade.2
Sent Department 434, repeated Athens 37.
- Not printed. It reported that the Ambassador in Greece, John E. Peurifoy, had a long conversation that morning with Greek Prime Minister Sophocles Venizelos regarding the advantages to Greece of the resumption of normal relations with Yugoslavia. Venizelos explained that on balance he would be willing not only to bring about an immediate exchange of ministers with Yugoslavia but also to press for real improvement in the economic relations between the two countries. Before he could undertake these measures, Venizelos felt that Yugoslavia must return at least 80 Greek soldiers captured by the Greek rebels and taken to Yugoslavia in 1948 and 1949 (668.81/10–2450). Telegram 310, October 27, to Belgrade, not printed, suggested that Ambassador Allen inform the Yugoslav Government of the views expressed by Venizelos to Peurifoy and leave it to the Yugoslavs to pursue the matter directly with Greece (668.10/10–2450).↩
- Telegram 436, November 2, from Belgrade, not printed, reported that Yugoslav Acting Foreign Minister Mates had informed Ambassador Allen that the Yugoslav Government would notify Greek authorities that Yugoslavia was prepared to return to Greece all Greek National Army soldiers in Yugoslavia who wished to return (668.81/11–250). Fifty-seven Greek soldiers were returned to Greece by Yugoslav authorities on November 8. Telegram 1593, November 14, from Athens, not printed, reported having been informed by Prime Minister Venizelos that Greece was willing to exchange ministers with Yugoslavia and reestablish full diplomatic relations (601.8168/11–1450). Direct negotiations between Yugoslavia and Greece followed, and on November 28 Venizelos announced that the establishment of full diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia and the exchange of ministers between the two countries had been agreed upon. A similar Yugoslav announcement followed. Radoš Jovanović, former Yugoslav Deputy Foreign Minister, was named Yugoslav Minister in Greece, and Spiros Capetanides, former Chief of the American Section of the Greek Foreign Ministry, was named Greek Minister in Yugoslavia. Jovanović and Capetanides arrived at their respective posts in late December 1950.↩