860h.01/12–1445: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of State, Temporarily in Moscow95
2521. Secdel 8. Yugoslav Ambassador has notified this Govt of the decision taken by the Yugoslav Constituent Assembly to proclaim the “Federated Peoples Republic of Yugoslavia” and to abolish the monarchy.96 His note also adds that the Assembly further enacted a law establishing the Praesidium of the Constituent Assembly with executive functions including the appointment of ambassadors and the reception of the credentials of the diplomatic reps of foreign countries. When the Constituent Assembly has enacted the new constitution and becomes the legislative body of the new Republic, its Praesidium becomes the Praesidium of the regular Assembly.
The Brit Embassy has likewise informed us that the Brit Govt has received a similar notification and, subject to our comments, proposes to reply on Dec 15 extending recognition to the new Govt of Yugoslavia subject only to the qualification that “in accordance with international custom and with assurances given to the Brit Ambassador at Belgrade by the Yugos Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the new Yugos Govt will accept responsibility for Yugoslavia’s [Page 1298] existing international obligations and that the change in regime will not affect the rights and interests of Brit subjects in Yugoslavia”.
It is the intention of the Brit Govt to restore normal relations with the Yugos Govt and to see how their attitude develops as a result of their “electoral victory”. In these circumstances they propose merely to issue new credentials to their Ambassador and not to send him instructions similar to those which you approved in the memorandum of policy of Nov 24, a copy of which is with the Delegation. The Brit Govt planned to publish its reply on Dec 16 but we have asked that action be withheld in order that we may receive final instructions from you with a view to concerting both replies and publication.
You may wish to discuss this divergence of approach with Mr. Bevin in Moscow. Subject to any such discussion and to your further instructions we suggest that the following course of action might be submitted to the President for his approval and the preparation of new letters of credence for Patterson in his name.
We would answer the Yugoslav note in generally similar terms, and at the same time address an instruction along the following lines to Patterson. Both the note and the instruction would be made public.
The instruction would inform the Ambassador of our receipt of the Yugos notification and of our reply. It would then say (1) that, mindful of the obligations which it had assumed at Yalta this Govt had consistently made known its attitude that the people of Yugoslavia are entitled to expect the effective implementation of the guarantees of personal freedom, freedom from fear, liberty of conscience, freedom of speech, liberty of the press and freedom of assembly and association contained in the Tito–Subasic agreement underlying the Yalta Declaration and to have an opportunity to express their will in a free and untrammeled election; (2) that, in view of conditions existing in Yugoslavia, it could not be said that those guarantees of freedom had been honored nor that the elections conducted on Nov 11 had provided opportunity for a free choice of the people’s reps; and (3) that, in the circumstances, this Govt desires that it be understood that the establishment of diplomatic relations with the present regime in Yugoslavia should not be interpreted as implying approval of the policies of the regime, its methods of assuming control or its failure to implement the guarantees of personal freedom promised its people. In conclusion, the Ambassador would be informed that he should make it quite clear to the authorities and people of Yugoslavia that we entertain only the friendliest sentiments toward the peoples of the country and that it is our anticipation that the evolution of events will provide developments which will make possible those relations—both political and economic—between the peoples of Yugoslavia and the US which we on our part most urgently desire to see.
- This telegram was transmitted through the Embassy in Moscow. Secretary Byrnes was attending the Conference of Foreign Ministers at Moscow, December 16–26, 1945. See vol. ii, pp. 560 ff.↩
- For Yugoslav note of December 10, 1945, see Department of State Bulletin, December 23, 1945, p. 1020.↩