Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Ambassador of Yugoslavia Vladimir Popovic, Dr. Mirko Bruno, and John C. Campbell

- SECURITY INFORMATION 0140 S/S DEPARTMENT OF STATE 117 Memorandum of Conversation 224 DATE: July 17, 1952 SUBJECT: Trieste PARTICIPANTS: The Secretary Mr. Vladimir Popovic, Yugoslav Ambassador Mr. Mirko Bruner, First Secretary, Yugoslav Embassy Mr. John C. Campbell, EE COPIES TO: s/s (2) American Embassy, London EUR - Messrs Perkins and Bonbright American Embassy, Rome EE - Mr. Barbour American Embassy, Belgrade WE - Mr. Byington US POLAD, Trieste u. s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 16-61120-1 Following inquiries on Germany and other matters connected with my recent trip to Europe and to Brazil, Ambassador Popovic mentioned reports that the question of Trieste had been touched upon in con- versations held during my stay in London and asked whether I would say anything about those talks. I said that Mr. Eden and I had given some attention to the question of Trieste although we had not dealt at length with it. I said that we both felt, as we had previously, that every effort should be made to get this troublesome problem settled. We were considering the desirability of again urging both Italy and Yugoslavia to undertake direct negotiations toward settlement. Then, while the matter was still under consideration, the Yugoslav Ambassador in London called on the Foreign Office and said that his government did not consider the atmosphere propitious for any attempt at a settlement. In the face of this negative attitude Mr. Eden and I had not pursued the matter further. I then told Ambassador Popovic that I was very much disturbed over the lack of progress on this question. I said I did not believe the prospects would get any better with the passage of time but would in fact get worse, particularly since an Italian election would be coming up next year. I said I believed that now was the time to attempt to reach an agreement. I added that in my opinion this was one question which, if not solved, was certain to cause further trouble for all of us and interfere with the cooperation which was so necessary among the nations concerned with the security of this part of Europe. DECLASSIFIED The Ambassador E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and S(D) or (E) Dept. of State letter, <0 26:76 - SECURITY INFORMATION By NLT- He NARS Date 1129-76