860H.01/587: Telegram
The Ambassador to the Yugoslav Government in Exile (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 22—12:45 p.m.]
12. [Yugoslav Series.] Ambassador Stevenson informs me that he has heard from the Foreign Office that his plan reported in my No. 6, December 16, 7 p.m., is now up for Cabinet’s consideration. Meanwhile, however, in view of the decisions of the Yugoslav anti-Fascist Council summarized in my No. 8 of December 18, 10 p.m., which appear to reveal the Partisan movement as definitely revolutionary, he has today telegraphed London a new plan more closely in accord with the attitude which I understand to be that of the Department to date.
In this new telegram he suggests that the United States of America and Soviet Governments be approached with a view to adopting a common attitude based on (1) the prime necessity of using to best advantage all the means available to obtain a speedy victory; (2) the need to postpone political issues of all kinds until after the country has been liberated; (3) the need to unify and concentrate all resistance being offered to the enemy; and [(4)] the necessity of allowing the people of Yugoslavia without foreign interference, to settle their own affairs.
In keeping with the above the Ambassador is withdrawing his suggestion to the Foreign Office that pressure should be placed upon the King to change the composition of the Yugoslav Government though he feels that the new situation need not affect the purely military decision as regards Mikhailovitch.
He has promised to supply me with a copy of this telegram together with a copy of the decisions of the anti-Fascist Council which he has just been able to secure from the military. It appears that this last mentioned document was brought out by one of the Partisan officers now here engaged in military discussions with the British. The Ambassador tells me that the broadcast summarized in my No. 8 above referred to has been prevented by the censorship from appearing in the press here and has not appeared in England either so far.