760H.68/3–1749

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Deputy Director, Office of European Affairs (Thompson)

secret

Mr. Allen1 referred to a previous conversation which we had had and said he wished to inform me of the conversation which Bebler had had in London.2 In his conversation with Bevin, Bebler had dwelt chiefly on Yugoslavia claims against Austria.3 Bevin did, however, take occasion to state that he wished Yugoslavia would leave Greece alone and that that country could be allowed to work out its own destiny without outside interference. Bebler had vaguely attempted to minimize the extent of Yugoslav support of the Greek guerrillas.

In a conversation with Hector McNeil,4 Bebler had himself adverted to the question of Greece several times, and McNeil had underscored this point.

Again in a conversation with Wallinger and Fitzroy Maclean,5 Bebler had endeavored to give impression that he had come to the realization that Yugoslavia would have to do something to mollify the west on the Greek question.

In both of the latter conversations Bebler had denied any positive Yugoslav information on Markos dismissal but had expressed the Yugoslav belief that it was another case of “Titoism”. He had denied reports to the effect that Markos was in Yugoslavia.

  1. William Denis Allen, Counselor of the British Embassy in the United States.
  2. In late February 1949, Yugoslav Deputy Foreign Minister Aleš Bebler visited London in connection with the sessions there of the Deputies for Austria of the Council of Foreign Ministers. Bebler made the case to American, British, French, and Soviet officials for Yugoslav desires for territorial readjustments and reparations from Austria. For documentation on work of the Deputies for Austria in preparing a draft Austrian State Treaty, see vol. iii, pp. 1066 ff.
  3. Bebler apparently conferred with Foreign Secretary Bevin on February 18.
  4. Minister of State of the British Foreign Office.
  5. Member of Parliament; Chief of the British Military Mission to the Yugoslav Partisans, 1942–1945.