760H.61/2–2543

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)

The Yugoslav Ambassador called to see me this morning in order to say good-by before he leaves for London next week. The Ambassador handed me the memorandum attached herewith.30 I told the Ambassador I was glad to receive this message which seemed to me gratifying since it indicated a better atmosphere between the Soviet Government and his own Government and a desire on the part of the Soviet Government to avoid further difficulties of the kind which had occurred during the past six months in connection with General Mihailovich.

The Ambassador inquired about the President’s statement to the press the day before yesterday regarding the holding of a United Nations meeting on the world food problem. I gave the Ambassador the general line of the President’s decision in this regard.

The Ambassador inquired further with regard to our policy towards the Vatican and the present policy of the Turkish Government. I made it clear that Archbishop Spellman’s31 visit to the Vatican was in no sense official and that recent reports from Turkey seemed to indicate no deviation from the policy which the Turkish Government had announced after the recent visit of Mr. Churchill.32

S[umner] W[elles]
  1. Infra.
  2. Francis J. Spellman, Archbishop of New York.
  3. Mr. Churchill visited Turkey in January following the Casablanca Conference.