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

768.56/11–1450: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Bruce) to the Secretary of State

top secret

Paris, November 14, 1950—8 p. m.

2716. Embtel 2647, November 11, repeated Belgrade 35, London 642.¹

1. This Embassy and British Embassy have now received from French FonOff list and partial information comprising some 35 items of war material and equipment which Yugoslavs have requested and total value of which said to be about six billion francs (of which 2.7 billion cover cartridge factory and 100 Hispano Suiza motors). In some cases suppliers have been designated and contracts let. Charpentier believes, but cannot verify, that this information was supplied to US, UK, French technical working group in Washington. List being translated and analyzed for transmission Washington.²

2. Charpentier summoned representatives this Embassy and UK Embassy to his office and set forth French position to following effect. French most anxious proceed with supplying war material to Yugoslavs and granting of pertinent credit in framework of course of over-all settlement including prewar debts and nationalizations which would in addition permit French to act favorably on International Bank Loan. French would hope that on basis of working group report³ tripartite agreement could promptly be reached on principle of military aid to Yugoslavia. This agreement might involve a meeting of working group if possible prior to current November 30 scheduled date or decision could be reached in some other way. French would then envisage that affirmative decision in principle be communicated to Yugoslav Government either by three Ambassadors in Belgrade or by one of them delegated to speak for all three. Result this démarche would presumably be prompt establishment some quadripartite mechanism for working out of details of assistance.

3. We gather French feel that items they contemplate furnishing Yugoslavs and which are included in reference list would especially in so far as items already specifically contracted for, form part of any military assistance program. They referred in this connection to items such as airplanes which they understand British have already arranged to furnish Yugoslavs (British representative stated he had no information on this subject).

Sent Department 2716; repeated info Belgrade 38, London 660.

Bruce

1. Not printed. It reported that representatives of the American and British Embassies had called separately on Pierre Charpentier, Assistant Director General for Political and Economic Affairs of the French Foreign Ministry, to discuss the status of French thinking and action on the problem of possible military assistance to Yugoslavia. Charpentier confirmed that the sale of material valued at about 5 billion francs was part of the current French-Yugoslav trade discussions, and that credits for a major portion of the material were under consideration. Charpentier expressed full agreement with the principle of tripartite consultation on the matter (768.56/11–1150).
2. A summary of the war material and equipment which Yugoslavia had requested from France was transmitted in telegram 2776, November 16, from Paris, not printed (768.56/11–1650). A copy of the complete list, whose total value appeared to be somewhere between 6 and 7 billion francs, was transmitted as an enclosure to despatch 1365, November 28, from Paris, neither printed (768.56/11–2850).
3. Regarding the undated report of the Tripartite Committee on Military Assistance to Yugoslavia, presumably under reference, see the editorial note, p. 1482.