260. Letter From President Tito to President Eisenhower1
Dear Mr. President: I appreciate highly your message delivered to me by Mr. Robert Murphy during his visit to Beograd.2 I was very pleased to find expressed in your letter the same concern and aspirations we feel regarding the preservation and security of peace, the creation of better living conditions and international cooperation, and especially regarding the necessity of permanent friendly collaboration between the United States of America and Yugoslavia.
[Page 677]I am certain that the same spirit of tolerance and understanding to which you, Mr. President, contributed so much at the Geneva Conference, and which gave release and so many hopes to worried mankind, will prevail at the next Conference of the Four Foreign Ministers. None of us expects that all, or even the majority, of the most important controversial international problems will be solved at that meeting, but any new progress will mean a great deal for further easing of tension in the world and for the creation of confidence in the possibility of peaceful settlement among states.
It is a great satisfaction to me to be able to say that I and my associates had friendly and successful talks, and exchanged points of view, with Mr. Murphy about all the problems that concern our two countries. It was apparent on both sides that no change of any significance in foreign policy and in our relations had taken place. Yugoslavia is firmly resolved to continue pursuing a policy of principle, a policy of friendly collaboration with the United States of America, and the other countries in the West and throughout the world. I can assure you that we value above all the independence we won through such tremendous efforts and sacrifices.
The process of normalization of our relations with the Soviet Union and the other Eastern countries is unfolding on a basis of equality and respect for independence and sovereignty. The process is not developing uniformly or with equal success with all these countries, but rather on an individual basis and in conformity with mutual respect for one another’s interests. Let me assure you that the normalization of these relations, no matter how successfully it may proceed, in our opinion cannot and should not take place at the expense of our relations with the Western countries. For, if that were so, we would not achieve what we desire most: the preservation of peace and pacific friendly coexistence and cooperation among states and peoples.
I know that recently there have been in the West certain unjustified doubts regarding Yugoslavia’s intentions. In such a case, it is important to have an exchange of views at the highest level, as was the case now, because that is the easiest way to eliminate misunderstandings. I entirely agree with you, Mr. President, that we do not always follow the same road on matters of foreign policy, but I am confident that there will be no differences of opinion between us regarding the most important questions relating to peace or war. In addition to this, there are still many other problems of an international nature towards which we have similar attitudes and regarding which the possibility for profitable cooperation exists.
In conclusion, I should like to thank you for your efforts and your assistance in bringing these talks to such a successful close.
May I wish you a speedy and complete recovery.
[Page 678]With sincere wishes and greetings,
Yours,
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles–Herter Series. Unclassified.↩
- Document 256.↩