711.60H/10–3046: Airgram
The Chargé in Yugoslavia (Hickok)10 to the Secretary of State
[Received November 19—11:04 a.m.]
A–240. Following is FonOff reply dated October 23, 1946, to Ambassador’s memoranda to Tito on various outstanding questions:
“Aide-Mémoire
“The following is the reply of the Yugoslav Government to the questions put by H. E. Ambassador Patterson, during his visit to the President of the Yugoslav Government and Acting Foreign Minister Marshal Tito, on August 27th [22nd?] at Bled and again on September 6th last in Beograd.11
[Page 972]“1. Yugoslav American relations.
“The Ambassador finds that the relationship between the two countries is tense and expresses the desire that same be improved.
“The Yugoslav Government has, ever since the end of the War, consequently made efforts that the friendly and allied relations between the USA and the FPRY, forged in the heavy struggle against the common enemy, be as deep as possible.
“It was, however, the attitude of the USA Government towards the FPRY and her justified claims which rendered this sincere endeavour impossible and which is still continually worsening these relations.
“It is supposed that, on this opportunity, this needs no further explanation. It is sufficient to remind that it was America who, in her recommendations and through her attitude regarding the questions of the Yugoslav Italian frontier, Trst,12 reparations, War criminals etc., went farthest in damaging the justified interests and claims of the FPRY. The American Government illegally detains an enormous part of our river shipping which would be so much necessary for the reconstruction of our country ravaged by war.
“Generally, the denying of the basic rights of the FPRY as well as the systematic supporting of the aggressor and yesterdays barbarous enemy must create within the people of Yugoslavia a grievous impression on the USA whom they were used to look at with so much hope as at a mighty defender of democratic principles, a fighter against Fascism and a supporter of those who suffered from the common enemy.
“We regret to see, too, that the attitude of the members and employees of the American Embassy in Beograd has not either contributed to the lessening of the feeling of tenseness in the relationship. On the contrary. Official representatives of the American authorities often came into collision with the Laws and rules of this country; as a matter of fact they were denying these Laws and rules and behaving as though they were not in a sovereign and friendly country.
“So Members and employees of the Embassy avoid legal channels when changing dollars into dinars disregarding the Yugoslav Currency Regulations; Major Coombs publicly insults the President of the Yugoslav Government; Eric Pridonoff and some other members of the Embassy are involved in terroristic organizations and openly calumniate the Regime. William Wedge prepotently [sic] drives a jeep through Beograd on May 1st when large crowds were in the streets and kills and injures passengers. American soldiers serving with the Embassy walk in Beograd illegally armed and kill a soldier of a foreign Army on duty in Yugoslavia; in the American Reading Room antinational and calumnious material on the FPRY is collected and exhibited to the public; the Embassy refuses within its own competence entry visas to Delegates on the Congress of American Slavs; Walter Floreck dishonors the Yugoslav national flag etc …
“All these circumstances are well known to the Embassy. It was, however, necessary to point them out as to emphasize where the difficulties [Page 973] for the improvement of the relationship between the two countries are.
“The Government of the FPRY will continue with its sincere endeavours aiming at this improvement. The Government of the FPRY has, up to now, given many proofs of its good will and tolerance; it will welcome any such endeavouring by the American Government and Embassy respectively, but it is aware that its unilateral endeavouring solely, without the practical manifestation of a similar desire on the side of the American Government, cannot reach the expected end.
“2. Yugoslav Press
“In connection with the objections of Ambassador Patterson in the premises, attention should be drawn to the sharp anti-Yugoslav attitude of the American Press. The American Press does not only omit the reproduction of speeches and argumentations of the Yugoslav Delegation in Paris—and if it does it is with alterations—but also publishes most brutal attacks written sometimes in absolutely unqualified ways, upon the FPRY and her leaders.
“Thus for instance expressions as those used recently by the New York Times concerning the FPRY have never been observed in the Yugoslav Press regarding the American Government. Accordingly in this respect, too, it applies that only a mutual understanding and good will can lead to the improvement of the present state. As soon as the American attitude towards Yugoslavia, as well as the voice of the American Press regarding Yugoslavia become more objective, our press will, no doubt, have no reasons to deny most ample publicity to American reports.
“3. Free contact with Yugoslav Officials.
“The Yugoslav Government not only has no objections but itself wishes to contribute to such a contact.
“4. Treatment of American citizens.
“The Yugoslav Government has never disputed full rights to American citizens. Persons regarding whom the Embassy alleges that they were ‘as American citizens detained in concentration camps’ are Volksdeutschers who declared themselves during the occupation Germans, were as such considered citizens of the Reich, became members of the ‘Kulturbund’ Nazi organization and most actively cooperated with the enemy.
“For this reason they have been detained in camps pending the decision on their transfer. Nevertheless the Government of the FPRY met the request of the American Government even in this respect, and put at the disposal of the Embassy for repatriation to the USA all those Volksdeutschers whose American citizenship is recognized by the Embassy. Accordingly the Yugoslav Government will grant exit visas to all those Volksdeutschers whose passports will be submitted.
“The view on principle of the Government of the FPRY regarding the question of citizenship, in general was put forth in the Note of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs No. 11128 handed over to the [Page 974] Embassy on September 26th and it is fully in harmony with inter-nation Laws.13
“In fact all those Volksdeutschers who have had their passports submitted in accordance with the above, received exit visas and a group left already Yugoslavia on October 12th.
“5. Reciprocal Immunity for Embassy Employees.
“In accordance with generally accepted international principles diplomatic immunity is to be accorded to Members of the Diplomatic Corps i.e. to persons appearing on the diplomatic list. Employees of Diplomatic Offices/ such as drivers, butlers, guards, cooks and so on/ are according to these principles not recognized having such a diplomatic immunity such one not being necessary for the carrying out of their regular duties.
“The Government of the FPRY sees no reason for a refusal of compliance with these international principles.
“6. Travel facilities for Embassy Staff.
“For the so called ‘non diplomatic staff’ of the Embassy—as described in the above point—provisions have so far been laid down that a travel permit is required for travelling outside the seat of their Office. No travel limitation exists throughout the country for diplomatic personnel. Permits required for the non diplomatic personnel are being issued promptly.
“These provisions, which have only a provisional character, apply without any exceptions to all diplomatic Officers and so it is impossible to make a discrimination regarding the American Embassy.
“7. Access by the Embassy to Americans in camps in Yugoslavia.
“This is being regulated by the Yugoslav Laws as far as judicial proceedings are in question.
“Concerning camps the Government of the FPRY has, on this opportunity to draw attention to the fact that the American occupation authorities deny to the official Delegates of the Government of the FPRY access to the camps within the American occupation Zones in Austria and Germany in which the inmates are exclusively Yugoslavs. The American authorities deny this right to the Yugoslav Delegates in spite of the fact that the inmates of those camps are subject to no accusation whatsoever and although no American sovereign territory is in question but Zones which the American Army holds under occupation on behalf of all the United Nations.
[Page 975]“8. Embassy plane.
“With reference to Marshal Tito’s answer this question is now no more outstanding.14
“Beograd, October 23rd 1946.”
- Ambassador Patterson relinquished charge of the Embassy and departed from Belgrade for Washington on October 25, 1946.↩
- For Ambassador Patterson’s report on his conference with Marshal Tito at Bled on August 22, see the unnumbered telegram from Bled, August 22, 9 p.m., Department of State Bulletin, September 1, 1946, p. 418. For the Ambassador’s report on his meeting with Marshal Tito on September 6, see telegram 892, September 6, from Belgrade, p. 949.↩
- Slovenian for Trieste.↩
- In a note of August 29, 1946, to the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry, the Embassy requested that the Yugoslav Government permit naturalized American citizens, many of whom were being held in concentration camps for so-called “Volksdeutscher”, to be granted exit visas to leave Yugoslavia before October 16, 1946, so as not to lose their nationality under the terms of the United States Nationality Act of 1940 (as amended). In reply, the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry’s note of September 26, 1946, stated that the Yugoslav Government would accord all rights of American citizenship to all persons who, under Yugoslav law, did not appear to be Yugoslav citizens, and whose American citizenship was recognized by the Embassy. The Yugoslav Government was also prepared to hand over to the Embassy any “Volksdeutscher” whom the Embassy recognized as American citizens and undertook to send out of Yugoslavia forthwith.↩
- For arrangements with regard to the Embassy plane, see telegram 892, September 6, from Belgrade, p. 949.↩