Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Eastern Europe; Soviet Union; Eastern Mediterranean, Volume VIII

EUR/RA files, lot 54 D 514, “Trieste 1954”

No. 194
The Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Barbour) to the Ambassador in Yugoslavia (Riddleberger)

top secret
personal informal

[Washington,] May 27, 1954.

Dear Jimmie: Your letter to Jamie of May 7¹ apparently got stuck somewhere along the line, and I find it unanswered as I take over his desk.²

With the good news of yesterday events seem to have overtaken most of the points that were on your mind, and I think you will agree that now that we are about to open the second phase of the Trieste exercise there is not much to be gained, and in fact it would probably be harmful, to call down the Italians as you suggested. Of course, we were aware of the risks in the Secretary’s Milan meeting, but thought on balance that it was desirable.

With the second phase of the negotiations about to open, the boot shifts to the other foot on the subject of leaks. Whatever may have been the original source of the previous leaks, and the information Cy Sulzberger picked up in Italy (some say it was the Yugoslavs here through the French and some doubt it; others refer to Bebler’s talk to the French Ambassador in Belgrade), it now becomes of the utmost importance that the Yugoslavs do not leak the substance of the tripartite understanding just arrived at. If they do, the Italians will certainly have to get improvements to save face, and it could easily lose us a settlement. I can foresee the possibility that if the Yugoslavs get nervous or exasperated about how the second phase of the negotiations are going, they might be tempted to leak. We may work up a telegram to you on this point, but in any case I know you will have it in mind.

The Secretary’s telegram of congratulations to you of yesterday³ was sent with the heartfelt endorsement of us all.

Sincerely,

Walworth Barbour

1. Document 190.
2. Barbour succeeded Bonbright as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs on May 27.
3. The Secretary’s congratulations were conveyed to Riddleberger in Belgrade on May 26. (750G.00/5–2654) Congratulations were also sent to Thompson in telegram 6367 to London, May 26. (750G.00/5–2654)