740.00116 EW/5–1547: Telegram
The Chargé in Yugoslavia (Cabot) to the Secretary of State
513. After careful consideration I must respectfully express my concern reference Department’s telegram 30, May 2 to Leghorn repeated Rome 633 and Belgrade 282.1 Embassy continues dependent on British Embassy and local press for information regarding progress made in handing over quislings and war criminals to Yugoslav authorities; first source is not complete and second obviously inaccurate. Embassy has impression that despite recent progress made this has been largely due to British efforts and that we are still failing to show due diligence with respect our commitments. (Department’s telegram 342, October 11, 1945,2 Embassy does not have in files copies notes addressed to Yugoslav Embassy Washington.) Department will observe that although nineteen months have elapsed since we agreed to turn over without delay guilty Yugoslavs in our custody, screening of camps under Allied control did not start until recently and has not been completed. As a pointed example of culpable negligence, British Screening Commission found among 500 men screened 3 to whose surrender British and Americans had agreed openly living under own names in camp. This is but one of many indications which have reached Embassy that Anglo-American military authorities have been at least remiss in trying to carry out our formal commitments.
I must emphasize to Department that unless this Embassy is misinformed in absence of effective action or even explanation, Yugoslav Government is justified in feeling that we have not scrupulously respected our commitments and that it is therefore the more incumbent upon us to bestir ourselves now. For this reason I am concerned at our discouraging British from arresting and turning over to Yugoslavs notorious Yugoslav quislings openly residing in Italy unless we intend to see to it that Italians do take effective measures. I would appreciate Department’s comments on Bebler’s statement forwarded Embassy’s despatch 859, May 133 and particularly his statement that [Page 800] not a single Italian war criminal has yet been delivered to Yugoslavs. Having personally seen the terrible devastation in Montenegro and Dalmatia, some of which was caused by Italians, I can understand bitterness in this country at our apparent failure to carry out our pledges.
If we consider it inadvisable because of world political situation or unfriendly acts of Yugoslav authorities or lack of justice in this country to hand over Yugoslav quislings to Yugoslav authorities we should so inform this government. Quite apart from fact that this would be highly embarrassing so soon after our note April 8,4 I do not see what justice or wisdom there could be in sheltering notorious quislings and war criminals from their just deserts. Many of those sought by Yugoslavs are of course guilty of nothing more than opposition to present regime and we must refuse hand over anyone against whom prima facie case is not made; but from information available here it appears that we could easily arrest many whose guilt is perfectly plain. I respectfully submit that it is inexcusable after these many months to reiterate our commitments and yet not only to take no effective action but also to obstruct others from taking it. Means must be found to correct this situation whether the action be taken by the American, British or Italian authorities.5
Sent Department 513, repeated Rome as 36 Leghorn.
- Not printed; it stated that instructions would soon be forthcoming from the Combined Chiefs of Staff relieving the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater of all responsibility for the apprehension and handover of Yugoslav quislings and traitors not in military custody. Such apprehension and handover would become the responsibility of Italian authorities. These instructions are described in the memorandum of May 29 from the Combined Chiefs of Staff to the Department of State and British Embassy, p. 803. In the meanwhile, the Supreme Allied Commander was to be informed that the United States Government opposed any use by him of police powers to search for alleged quislings and traitors not currently in Allied custody (740.00116 EW/4–1947).↩
- Same as telegram 888, October 11, 1945, to Caserta, Foreign Relations 1945, vol. v, p. 1265.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Regarding the note under reference here, see telegram 355, April 8, from Belgrade, p. 785.↩
- Telegram 335, May 23, to Belgrade, not printed, replied to this telegram by explaining that the United States position on the general problems involved in Yugoslavia’s requests for the surrender of alleged quislings was set forth in detail in an exchange of letters with the British Embassy in Washington (740.00116 EW/5–1547). Presumably the reference is to the exchange of letters of May 5 (p. 791) and May 19 (infra) between Peter Solly-Flood of the British Embassy and Walworth Barbour, copies of which were transmitted to Embassy Belgrade as enclosures to instruction 653, May 20, not printed.↩