760H.00/7–1349: Telegram
The Ambassador in Yugoslavia (Cannon) to the Secretary of State
663. Embassy offers following comment re section Tito’s speech July 10 re Yugoslav problems international politics.1
[Here follow three paragraphs dealing briefly with the Carinthian question, Trieste, Yugoslav difficulties with its Cominform neighbors, and trade problems.]
Most significant passage concerned Greece. As matter of record Tito repeated allegations frontier provocations by Royal Greek forces but used harsher language re charge by Free Greek radio of alleged Yugoslav support to Greek monarcho-Fascist. He assailed obvious source of report, declaring “they are slandering us to prove justification their resolution and in order blame us for defeat Democratic Greek army, if it comes to this”. Following this significant passage, Tito announced closing of Yugoslav-Greek border.2
Closing of border may mean much or little. Since border already reported to be under strictest control except for points Yugoslavs wanted left open for channeling communications, this move indicates small material advance. I take declaration to mean something quite different. All spring we have been pressing Yugoslavs for change in Greek policy and I personally believe we have achieved it. There remained, however, need of some preparation for letting this become manifest. In this speech Tito with Kosanovich at his elbow may have wanted us to know that he will henceforth give his direct attention to Greek affairs. His appeal to US and UK to end “Greek provocations” couched in friendly terms as contrasted with bitter language employed against Moscow looks almost like an overture.
I recall that British Embassy Washington reported back that Department did not find Kardelj’s statements to me (Embtel 577, [Page 369] June 9) overly reassuring. On rereading that telegram I can see that I did not convey my belief that Kardelj had in fact gone farther than we had reason to expect at that stage, taking into account the workings of his devious and mistrustful mind. On Greece I naturally expected him to have his guard up.
Reverting to Trieste question (see third part his telegram) I think we should not exclude possibility that Tito in showing disposition to move our way in Greek question may be bidding for sympathetic treatment in Trieste settlement.
Sent Department, repeated Moscow 75, Athens 40, Trieste 51, Paris 79, Rome 57, London 36.
- On July 10 Marshal Tito delivered a major speech at Pula (Pola), Croatia, in which he reviewed all of Yugoslavia’s principal foreign policy problems including Carinthia, Trieste, Greece, relations with the U.S.S.R. and the satellites, and relations with the West. For extracts from that speech, see Carlyle, Documents on International Affairs, 1948–1949, pp. 459–460.↩
- Telegram 693, July 24, from Belgrade, not printed, reported that the newspaper Borba, the organ of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, had that day carried a major statement on the Greek problem by Foreign Minister Kardelj. While expressing sympathy for the Greek guerrilla movement, Kardelj condemned the Greek Communist Party for joining the anti-Yugoslav compaign of the Cominform. Kardelj explained that Yugoslavia had responded to accusations and vilifications by the Greek Communists by closing the Yugoslav-Greek frontier (760H.68/7–2449). Telegram 712, July 27, from Belgrade, not printed, reported that the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry had informed the Embassy that the Kardelj statement was intended to reinforce the Tito speech and to make certain that no doubt remained regarding the Yugoslav position on the Greek question (760H.68/7–2749).↩