Office of the Historian

868.03/11–2250

The Ambassador in Yugoslavia (Allen) to the Yugoslav Deputy Foreign Minister (Mates)1

[Belgrade,] November 20, 1950.

Dear Mr. Minister: I have the honor to refer to the request submitted to the Secretary of State of the Government of the United States on October 20, 1950 by the Ambassador of the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia for assistance to meet the emergency in Yugoslavia resulting from the recent drought.2 Particular reference is made to that part of your country’s shortages which affects the continued ability of your Government to support the food requirements of its military forces. It is understood that the drought prevailing in Yugoslavia and the consequent shortage of food is so drastic as to seriously impair the ability of your Government to defend itself against aggression. Our two Governments are both desirous of fostering international peace and security within the framework of the Charter of the United Nations through measures which will further the ability of nations dedicated to the purposes and principles of the Charter to participate effectively in arrangements for individual and collective self-defense in support of those purposes and principles. Accordingly, I am pleased to inform you that my Government is prepared, pursuant to the provisions of Public Law 329, 81st Congress, as amended, to supply assistance in aid of food requirements of the armed forces of your Government on the following mutually agreed basis that (1) your Government will use the assistance exclusively for the purpose for which it is furnished, namely, in furtherance of the purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, to prevent the weakening of the defenses of the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia; (2) that your Government agrees not to transfer to any other nation the assistance furnished pursuant to this agreement without the prior consent of this Government; (3) that your Government will provide the United States with reciprocal assistance by continuing to facilitate the production and transfer to the United States, in such quantities and upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed on, of raw and semi-processed materials required by the United States as a result of deficiencies [Page 1505] or potential deficiencies in its own resources, and which may be available in Yugoslavia. Arrangements for such transfers shall give due regard to requirements for domestic use and commercial export of Yugoslavia;3 (4) that your Government is prepared to make available to the Government of the United States of America dinars for the use of the United States of America for any administrative expenditures within Yugoslavia in connection with assistance furnished by the United States of America to Yugoslavia arising out of this agreement. Our two Governments will at the appropriate time initiate discussion with a view to determining the amount of such dinars and to agree upon arrangements for the furnishing of such dinars.

I have the honor to propose that this note, together with the reply of the Government of Yugoslavia giving these assurances, constitute an agreement, effective on the date of your reply.

I take [etc.]

George V. Allen
  1. In a note of November 21, Deputy Foreign Minister Mates acknowledged the receipt of this note, quoted the text in full, and stated that the Yugoslav Government was in full agreement with the text. The texts of both notes were subsequently released to the press on December 4. The exchange of notes was formally published as 1 UST 753, TIAS 2145, and 93 UNTS 45. The source text, a certified copy of Ambassador Allen’s original note, together with Mates’ reply, were transmitted to the Department of State as enclosures to despatch 374, November 22, from Belgrade, not printed.

    The discussions during November between Ambassador Allen and Yugoslav officials leading to the perfection of this exchange of notes and the subsequent discussions regarding the time of release to the press were the subject of exchanges of telegrams included in the Department of State file 868.03.

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  2. Not printed, but see footnote 2, p. 1474.↩

  3. In connection with point 3 of Ambassador Allen’s note, the Embassy in Belgrade submitted to the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry the following aide-mémoire, dated November 20:

    “In connection with the American Embassy’s note of November 20, 1950, concerning arrangements for providing food for the Yugoslav armed forces under Public Law 329 as amended, 81st Congress, Mr. Allen informed Mr. Mates that the transfer to the United States of raw and semi-processed materials mentioned in point (3) of the notes is intended to be on a commercial basis.”

    The text of this aide-mémoire was not subsequently published.

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