740.00/1278: Telegram
The Minister in Yugoslavia (Lane) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 2—8 p.m.]
117. Department’s 17, April 20, 7 p.m. The Minister for Foreign Affairs said to me this morning that Yugoslavia is too much “exposed” to be able publicly to support the President’s message to Hitler. He expressed the personal opinion that the message did a great deal of good and had a great psychological effect as proven by the tone of Hitler’s speech which was not necessarily [more?] hostile than generally anticipated.
He said that purpose of his Berlin visit was to make sure that Germany has no hostile intentions against Yugoslavia. Ribbentrop, Hitler, and Goering assured him on this point. He said he is convinced that there is no danger whatever from Germany or Italy. In the event of war, he continued, Yugoslavia would remain neutral. He had so advised German Government. In reply to my inquiry whether Yugoslav neutrality would not be in the interest of Germany, Cincar-Markovic said he did not know; but he did know that unless Yugoslavia maintained its neutrality it would lose its independence.
In reply to my question he said that the Anti-Comintern Pact had been mentioned in the course of conversations at Berlin. It had even been intimated that Yugoslavia should sign. Cincar-Markovic had replied that there is no reason for Yugoslavia to sign the Pact, it having always been opposed to communism and it having been the [Page 165] one country in Europe which had never recognized the Soviet Union. He had pointed out that signature of the Pact would merely create uneasiness in Yugoslavia and would serve no useful purpose. His explanation apparently satisfied his hosts who exerted no pressure upon him.
As to the general situation he said that a détente now exists and that there will not be a general war. He was impressed in Berlin by the anti-war feeling even in Government circles. He said that Hitler certainly would not risk the loss of all that he had gained which would be the case if Germany were to provoke a general war.
Cincar’s credulity regarding German assurances toward Yugoslavia may be attributed to his pro-German attitude, which is decidedly different from that of his colleagues in the Government and of Army officers. Latter are particularly outspoken in distrust of Germany.