Office of the Historian

740.00119 Control (Italy)/9–1147: Telegram

The Ambassador in Yugoslavia (Cannon) to the Secretary of State

confidential
Belgrade, September 11, 1947—8 p. m.

1040. At 7 o’clock handed personally to Velebit note based on Deptel 604, September 10 received here at 5:15 this evening.

I emphasized importance we attach to matter, but after glancing at note he said he would give it immediate attention then laid it aside and tried to turn conversation to casual matters.

I said we need not at the moment examine the details of the several cases cited but requested him in my presence to note again the two last paragraphs of the note which he did. He said he would undertake the necessary inquiries at once.

He then referred to a Yugoslav complaint of a similar kind, details of which had already been given in note to British Embassy. He instructed Prica1 who was present at interview to write a similar note to US tomorrow. I said I would of course start it in action but must again most firmly declare that on this occasion I would discuss nothing more than the present note to which my government attaches immediate importance.

Note gives verbatim 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th paragraphs of Deptel introduced by: “Embassy of USA presents compliments Yugoslav Minister Foreign Affairs and, under instructions for [from] its government, has the honor to make formal and energetic protest concerning the following unwarranted actions of detention and instances of maltreatment of allied military personnel by Yugoslav authorities.[”]

Last two paragraphs read

“The Secretary of State of US has instructed Embassy to protest in strongest terms these unwarranted actions by the Yugoslav authorities and to demand the immediate release of all US and UK military personnel now in Yugoslav custody.2

[“]In view of the seriousness with which the US Government regards this matter, the Embassy trusts that the Minister Foreign Affairs will keep it promptly and fully informed of the action of the Yugoslav Government in this matter.

[“]The Embassy avails, etc.[”]

Cannon
  1. Srdja Prica, Director, Western Office, Yugoslav Ministry of Foreign Affairs.↩

  2. In despatch 166, September 18, from Belgrade, not printed, Ambassador Cannon forwarded a copy of the full text of his note, No. 963 (860S.00/9–1847).

    The crucial part of this note was released to the press on September 12 (Department of State Bulletin, September 21, 1947, p. 591).

    ↩