Telegram from President Harry S. Truman to Ambassador Averell Harriman

LOWON NLT-370 TOP SEGRET DECIASSIFIED by authority of 8. Coaf NCR25 TOP SECRET Datef-7-23 June 1945 FIP SERVICE the 604kg PRIORITY FROM: OPNAV 1945 JUN 26 5 43 TO : ALUSNA, MOSCOW 2600452, NCR SECRET BRITM 3320 NUMBER 305, PERSONAL AND TOP SECRET, FROM PRESIDENT TRUMAN TO TEYPB MBASSADOR HARRIMAN. Following for your information is message from Stalin to the Pres- ident, dated 21 June 1945, which is answered by President's immediately preceeding message Number 304 to Stalin, 26 June 1945: QUOTE: In spite of the fact that the Yugoslav Government has accepted the proposal of the American and British Governments regarding the region of Istria-Trieste, negotiations in Trieste, as it is evident, have reached a dead end. Thie can be explained, principally, by the fact that representa- tives of the Allied Command on the Mediterranean Sea do not want to take into consideration even the slightest suggestions of the Yugoslavs, who should be credited with the liberation of this territory from German invaders where, in addition to that, prevails a Yugoslav population. Such a situation cannot be considered satisfactory from the point of view of the Allies. Not wishing to aggravate relations I have not mentioned until now in JW3Q0 SPM NOW our correspondence about the behavior of Field Marshal Alexander, but nes it is necessary to stress that it is impossible to agrée that in these negotia- tions should be used the arrogant tone which is sonetimes used by Field Marshal Alexander in respect to the Yugoslavs. It is impossible to agree that Field Marshal Alexander in an official public address allowed a comparison of Marshal Tito to Hitler and Mussolini. Such a comparison is injust and insulting 1 - 1 - TOP- SECRET