126. Telegram From the Embassy in Yugoslavia to the Department of State0
1484. Embtel 1462.1 In private conversation with Foreign Minister Popovic on May 5, I took occasion to express my concern over the suspicions that had been voiced by Yugoslav officials of complicity of our government in events leading to rearrest of Djilas.2 Popovic reiterated that these statements had not been official and that there had been no intention to make any formal representation to us over this matter. He believed, he said, that official American circles had not been involved; nevertheless, there had been certain Americans who had had an interest in stirring up this sort of trouble.
We did not go into this further. I now think it unlikely that anything directly embarrassing to our government will be said at the Djilas trial, even if latter is held in public. Exchanges we have had thus far would make it difficult for Yugoslavs to raise such charges. This would not however, preclude vague hints that Djilas was influenced by American elements hostile to Yugoslav regime and permitted himself to become their tool.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 768.00/5–762. Confidential.↩
- In telegram 1462, May 3, Kennan reported on discussions with Mates regarding the Djilas affair and the apparent confusion within the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry over the level of its official reaction. (Ibid., 768.00/5–362)↩
- He was rearrested on April 7.↩