86011.01/2–1145: Telegram
Mr. Alexander C. Kirk, Political Adviser, Allied Force Headquarters, to the Secretary of State
[Received February 12—8:25 a.m.]
503. Thayer has reported from Belgrade that on February 9 Tito told Maclean74 that according to a report he had received from Kosanovich in London, the Subasic Cabinet was greatly concerned with the importance of “legitimacy” and until the composition of the regency was settled, they were anxious to stay in London. The first reaction of Tito was to let the London Government know that it could seek all the legitimacy it wanted but he was proceeding with other arrangements. Eventually however, he decided that until Churchill returned to London75 he would not take any irrevocable step.
Thayer stated that it is evident that Tito is getting impatient with the negotiations but he is probably being urged to proceed without Subasic by his supporters in Yugoslavia. Thayer believes it significant however, that Tito expects Churchill to return from his meeting with Stalin with a formula for the solution of Yugoslavia’s internal difficulties, which will be favorable to him.
Sent Department, repeated to Moscow as 25 and to London for Patterson as 66.
- Brig. Fitzroy Hew Maclean, Commanding Allied Military Mission to the Partisans in Yugoslavia.↩
- Prime Minister Churchill was at this time meeting with President Roosevelt and Premier Stalin at the Crimea Conference held at Yalta February 4–11, 1945. For documentation on the decisions taken by the Crimea Conference regarding the Yugoslav situation, see Conferences at Malta and Yalta, index entries under Yugoslavia, p. 1032.↩