860S.00/4–2948: Telegram

The Chargé in Yugoslavia (Reams) to the Secretary of State

secret
urgent

513. British Embassy has received instructions to submit note to Foreign Office denying in detail Yugoslav allegations contained Yugoslav [Page 526] note April 10 (Embtel 410, April 10).1 Instructions also received to submit interim acknowledgment and brief general denial statements contained Yugoslav note April 12 (Embtel 415 April 12).2 Understand copies both instructions submitted to Dept by British Embassy Washington. British suggest similar action on part US Government. Have asked British to delay presentation notes one day pending instructions from Department.

I concur in British approach since I feel allegation contained Yugoslav notes should not be long ignored.

Instructions to British also provided for discussion of these cases with French Embassy here. Believe French should be kept fully informed but see no need for anything approaching parallel action on their part.3

Reams
  1. In this telegram, not printed, Ambassador Cannon summarized the six page note received from the Foreign Office which rejected as unfounded Anglo-American protests regarding Yugoslav violations of the interzonal boundary on March 22 and March 29, and listed 12 alleged violations by US–UK authorities (860S.00/4–1048).

    Belgrade Embassy’s despatch 353 of April 10, not printed, forwarded a full English translation of the note which bore the number 49356 (860S.00/4–1948).

  2. In this telegram, not printed, Cannon reported having received the note from Foreign Minister Simic at 6:15 p. m. of April 12, and promised a summary of its contents in his next telegram (860S.00/4–1248). See footnote 2, p. 523.
  3. In telegram 206 of May 1, not printed, the Department notified Cannon that it had been informed of the proposed British replies and instructed him to address similar communications to the Yugoslav Foreign Office (860S.00/4–1248).

    In telegram 557 of May 5, not printed, the Chargé summarized the notes which he had delivered on May 4 (860S.00/5–548).