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

868.413/6–2354: Telegram

No. 693
The Ambassador in Yugoslavia (Riddleberger) to the Department of State

confidential

Belgrade, June 23, 1954—6 p.m.

1343. I saw Vladimir Popovic today upon receipt Deptel 1361,¹ and in addition to points made by Department I added some of my own which I thought might be effective. I went after him very hard on the basis of general proposition that it was foolish to refuse an exemption for the bishops relief shipments while at the same time Yugoslav Government was constantly pressing us for additional aid, particularly foodstuffs. I underlined what a difficult situation this created for Department in dealing with the Congress and expressed my disappointment that following our conversation of April 8,² Yugoslav Government had not even seen fit to give an answer.

Popovic replied that he personally comprehended fully our point of view, was sympathetic to it and had urged a favorable decision. He said the decision had even been discussed with Tito who also was favorably inclined. Our request had, however, raised quite a storm inside Yugoslav Government and consequently, a decision had been postponed. Reason for this controversy was fact that exemption for shipments would indicate both moral and material support for religious groups who oppose Yugoslav Government’s policy of attaining greater national unity. (At this point Popovic went off into a discussion of US-Yugoslav relation which went on for an hour and a half and is being reported separately.³) He said he would again attempt to get a favorable decision but seemed pessimistic.

As Popovic is thoroughly informed on Trieste, I replied by citing to him all of the economic assistance which US has recently given, including offshore procurement and asked him if it would not be possible at least to adopt his suggestion of February 3⁴ that Yugoslav Red Cross be permitted to distribute relief supplies to persons designated by bishops. I said this was certainly a reasonable compromise and asked him to urge Yugoslav Government to accept it. He said he would do so and would endeavor to get an answer in the near future.

Riddleberger

1. Presumably reference is to telegram 1362 to Belgrade, June 22, which asked Riddleberger to inform Vladimir Popovioć that the Department of State was anxious for a response on the question of the Bishops relief shipments. It said it was particularly important that there be an early and a favorable reply in view of the Congressional situation and Congresswoman Kelly’s attempt to amend the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act (also known P.L. 480) to exclude Yugoslavia. (868.413/6–2254)
2. This conversation is described in Document 691.
3. See infra.
4. A memorandum of Prović’s conversation with Under Secretary Smith on Feb. 3 is in file 868.49/2–354.