Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

740.00116 EW/6–2147: Telegram

The Ambassador in Italy (Dunn) to the Secretary of State

secret

Rome, June 21, 1947—7 p. m.

1668. Re Belgrade’s 51, June 11, 4 p. m.¹ CCS instructions to SAC would appear to remove any question of US military action to round up Yugoslavia quislings and war criminals in Italy who are at present and should be under Italian jurisdiction.² Presumably material mentioned as available in Belgrade Embassy files concerning such persons has been reported to Dept and is available there for consideration in connection with Depts consideration of particular cases when both governments desire to authorize forcible repatriation of individuals found in our custody after screening.

Re Belgrade’s observations on transfer of certain Greys to Argentina with assistance of Vatican, Royse assures me most definitely that these are persons who are ineligible for international aid under IRO charter but are not subject to forcible repatriation to their country of origin under existing International Agreements. Vatican Representatives have full understanding of this point. I trust that this humanitarian undertaking will not be unfavorably affected by Belgrade’s comments.³

Sent Dept 1668 repeated Belgrade 72.

Dunn

1. Same as telegram 629, June 11, from Belgrade, p. 811.
2. The views of the Combined Chiefs of Staff on the matter under reference here were set forth in the memorandum to the Department of State and British Embassy, May 29, p. 803.
3. In his telegram 704, June 25, from Belgrade, repeated to Rome, not printed, Chargé Cabot commented on this message. Cabot reaffirmed that the Embassy in Belgrade did not favor handing over to the Yugoslav authorities anyone against whom a prima facie ease had not been established. Neither did the Embassy wish to interfere in the finding of new homes for those unjustly subjected to Yugoslav persecution. Cabot continued to insist, however, that practices and procedures currently followed by Allied authorities in Italy were resulting in the escape of guilty Yugoslavs. Cabot concluded that the crimes of those Yugoslavs whose responsibility had been reasonably established were so great as to require their forcible repatriation to Yugoslavia even if they were not to receive a fair trial there (740.00116 EW/6–2447).