Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, Eastern Europe, The Soviet Union, Volume VI

SWNCC Files: SWNCC 313 Series: Telegram

The Military Adviser on the United States Delegation at the Council of Foreign Ministers (Lincoln) to the War Department

top secret
urgent

Paris, 1 July 1946.

OCD 27. For WARCOS for Norstad.

1. At 1st July meeting, Molotov agreed to French ethnic line as western border of Yugoslavia; to internationalizing area of Trieste which is west of ethnic line as far north along coast as Duino (now XIII Corps Hqtrs); and to giving remainder of disputed area to Italy. Byrnes and Bevin made no commitment but agreed to discuss matter tomorrow.

2. Byrnes view on move of RCT is that advantage is not worth risk of Yugoslav counter moves in Zone B which we could not match in a “War of Nerves”. He also states he considers general Yugoslav attack most unlikely and that, if it develops, it will, in his opinion, arise out of disorders in Trieste. I have gone over situation in Venezia Giulia at length with Colonel Smith, G–3 from MTO, and we have both seen Byrnes. As a result message containing Byrnes’ views has been agreed by British representatives and is now being considered by Bevin. It may be dispatched tonight. It provides for use of Poles and Italians and proposes to change certain impracticable aspects of Morgan’s present directive.

3. At Smith’s urgent request, I have informed General Lee and himself, who are both in Paris, of Molotov’s agreement at meeting. Smith’s thought is that a few hours’ notice, of news which may cause disorders, will be of greatest help to AFHQ. Matthews concurred in this action.