Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, Volume VI

760H.68/6–3049

The British Embassy to the Department of State ¹

top secret

Substance of telegram received by the British Embassy from the Foreign Office on the subject of Yugoslavia.

In reaching their decision to offer the Yugoslavs a credit,² the British authorities were considerably influenced by a conversation which Mr. Fitzroy MacLean³ recently had with Tito. Tito told MacLean that he could give him an undertaking that the Yugoslav Government would not in future allow rebels who crossed the frontier to return to Greece to fight, and that no other help would be given to the rebels. He also told MacLean that while he was convinced that Yugoslavia would emerge successfully from her present difficult position, it was essential that she should receive some credit from the West. The impression of the Foreign Office is that Tito’s undertaking to MacLean about Greece (which was not accompanied by any reservations such as those mentioned in the recent conversation between Mr. Gannon and Kardelj and Bebler) was sincere. Nor do they feel it would be advisable to try to establish too close a link between political questions and the current trade negotiations. Nevertheless, they are anxious to try to clear up the position about Yugoslav aid to the Greek rebels and to obtain an unequivocal assurance on the subject from Tito. Sir Charles Peake⁴ has therefore been instructed to remind Tito of what the latter said to MacLean and to ask him squarely whether he is or is not now helping the rebels—though without necessarily suggesting to him that the grant of credits will depend on the answer he gives to this question.

The Foreign Office wish to emphasise the importance which they attach to the conversation between Tito and MacLean being kept very secret. Apart from anything else, MacLean has pointed out that if the statements made to him about Greece became public property, this might ruin the chance of him having such an outspoken conversation with Tito again.⁵

30th June 1949.

1. This communication was left at the Department of State on June 30 by British Minister Hoyer Millar.
2. Regarding the credit under reference, see footnote 1 to telegram 327, June 27 to Belgrade, p. 360.
3. Member of Parliament; chief of the British Military Mission in Yugoslavia, 1943–1945.
4. British Ambassador in Yugoslavia.
5. According to a diary account in A Long Row of Candles, pp. 447–448, chief New York Times foreign correspondent Sulzberger discussed the May conversation between Tito and MacLean with Ambassador Cannon in Paris on June 14. Tito informed MacLean categorically that Yugoslavia was sending no more aid to the Greek rebels. All copies of Ambassador Peake’s telegraphic report to the Foreign Office on the conversation were destroyed. Ambassador Cannon did not report on the Tito–MacLean conversation to the Department of State because he had been enjoined to complete secrecy.