Office of the Historian

760H.61/8–2249: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom

secret
priority
Washington, August 29, 1949—7 p. m.

3102. Present thinking Dept on referring Soviet-Yugo dispute SC (Embtel 3357 Aug 24 rptd Moscow 104, Belgrade 66, Paris 6511) [Page 938] is that unwise for Western countries to force Tito’s hand by urging Yugo bring matter before SC or to take initiative by doing so themselves. We feel Yugo must be judge whether situation warrants reference to UN Shd it decide in affirmative, US wld support such proposals for UN action as seemed appropriate in conformity with Charter and with objective of peaceful settlement of intl differences while safeguarding Yugo independence.

Shd Sov campaign against Yugo develop into imminent threat to peace or actual breach of peace and acts of aggression, Dept wld consider recourse to UN as logical and necessary. In present state of affairs, however, believe it wld have disadvantages from Yugo viewpoint, constituting open bid for support of West and facilitating Sov campaign to tar Tito with “imperialist” brush. Since our prime objective is to keep regime afloat, seems advisable not to press UN aspect until regime itself decides such move wld help keep it afloat. Effectiveness of our pursuit that objective depends now more on concrete acts such as exports and loans than on discussion in UN and possible SC res.

Dept not unmindful of need keeping eye on development of controversy as laying basis for later UN action. Yugos appear to be well aware this aspect (Belgrade’s 836 Aug 22, rptd London 54, Moscow 102, Paris 1032). Amb Belgrade authorized to sound out Yugo FonOff further in effort to see what they have in mind re possible appeal to UN.

Dept does not believe delivery of dipl notes to USSR by US, UK, France wld be desirable at this time for reasons given in Moscow’s 2153 Aug 23 rptd London 216, Belgrade 92, Paris 314.3 Public statements and broadcasts may be as effective in exposing inconsistency between Sov bellicosity towards Yugo and Sov “peace offensive” as dipl démarche without obvious disadvantages of latter. (Emb London shld pass substance this tel to Brit FonOff.)

Sent London, rptd Belgrade, Moscow, Paris.4

Acheson
  1. Not printed. The views of the British on the topic under reference were elucidated in telegram 3403, August 26, from London (p. 933) and in the conversation between officers of the Department and British Embassy representatives on August 26 (see Achilles memorandum of conversation, p. 934).↩
  2. Not printed; it reported that the Yugoslav authorities had sought to make their August 23 note to the Soviet Government moderate in tone and free of polemics and had considered mentioning article 33 of the U.N. Charter (760H.61/8–2249).↩
  3. Ante, p. 928.↩
  4. Repeated to Belgrade as 493, to Moscow as 604, and to Paris as 3207.↩