Office of the Historian

840.51 FC 60H/4–747

The Acting Secretary of State to the Yugoslav Ambassador (Kosanović)1

The Acting Secretary of State presents his compliments to His Excellency the Ambassador of Yugoslavia and has the honor to refer [Page 790] to his note P. No. 465 of March 27, 1947, in which, on behalf of his Government, the Ambassador expresses its desire to discuss with the Government of the United States within the shortest possible time the question of such Yugoslav property in the United States as is now administered by the United States Treasury or by the Office of Alien Property, and related questions.

The United States Government is pleased to note the proposal of the Yugoslav Government to initiate negotiations on these questions. It is also pleased to learn that the Yugoslav Government, as indicated in the latter’s note presented to the Embassy of the United States in Belgrade on April l,2 shares the desire of the United States Government to bring about an early settlement of questions concerning American property in Yugoslavia. It appears appropriate, moreover, that such negotiations should cover a final settlement of the lend-lease accounts between Yugoslavia and the United States and any other financial claims of one government or its citizens against the other.

Noting that in the aforementioned communications the Government of Yugoslavia has requested that the Government of the United States determine the place and time of any discussions, the latter Government has the honor to invite the Yugoslav Government to meet with it in Washington on May 19 to open discussions to settle the questions of Yugoslav property in the United States and the various outstanding claims of the United States and its citizens on the Yugoslav Government. The United States Government earnestly hopes that the Yugoslav Government will be able to accept this invitation for this date, or for an alternative date which it may wish to suggest, and that these outstanding questions may be resolved to the mutual satisfaction of both Governments.

Washington, April 18, 1947.

  1. Note P. No. 654, May 13, from Ambassador Kosanović to the Secretary of State, not printed, replied to this note. It stated that the Yugoslav Government agreed to begin discussions in Washington on May 19 and named Assistant Foreign Minister Velebit as the Yugoslav representative in those discussions (840.51 FC 60H/5–1347). Velebit was in the United States to attend the special session of the United Nations General Assembly.

    On May 16, the United States and Yugoslavia issued a joint statement regarding the negotiations for mutual restoration of civil property which were to begin in Washington on May 19. For the text of the statement, see Department of State Bulletin, May 25, 1947, p. 1041.

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  2. For a summary of the note under reference here, see paragraph 1 of telegram 338, April 1, from Belgrade, p. 783.↩