768.5/5–2451
Memorandum by Robert P. Joyce of the Policy Planning Staff to the Deputy Under Secretary of State (Matthews)
Subject: U.S.-Yugoslav Military Conversations.
General Eddleman telephoned me this afternoon and said that the session with the Yugoslavs this morning had proceeded in a most satisfactory manner. He said that they had been able to reach a mutually acceptable compromise on the B list1 along the lines that it could probably be handled in a two-phase manner, i.e., the small and “non-technical” material could be assembled and go forward promptly whereas the more complicated matériel would be considered within the framework of future talks which would contain the element of training. Eddleman said that General Popovic appeared to be very pleased with this suggestion which Reinhardt and I made to him, Eddleman, this morning.
General Eddleman went on to say that he had taken occasion to engage in long-range strategic discussions and they had spent about two hours over a map of Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. Eddleman said that Popovic appeared to be very gratified that the talks had been widened. Eddleman stated that these discussions had elicited information from the Yugoslavs which our military did not previously have.
Eddleman went on to say that he had told Popovic that he, Eddleman, would be back in Washington from Europe in about ten days and he would look forward to having additional meetings. [Page 1793] This statement apparently cheered up Popovic more than somewhat.
- A handwritten note in the margin of the source text, marked by an “x” to this point in the text, read: “This is the second installment of the OPC stuff.” For information concerning this list of military equipment, see footnote 4, Document 869.↩