AMERICAN NOTES PUBLISHED

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24959, 21 August 1946, Page 7

AMERICAN NOTES PUBLISHED

In Washington to-day the United States State Department published a Note which was delivered to the Jugoslav Foreign Office in Belgrade on August 15 stating that Jugoslav soldiers had illegally entered the Allied zone round Trieste on July 12 and fired on American forces. The Note said that the incident began when three Jugoslav soldiers were seen inside the American sector of the British and American zone of Jugoslavia. An American patrol investigated, upon which the Jugoslavs fired on them. The Americans shot back and killed one Jugoslav The American patrol went to the scene, where it encountered a Jugoslav patrol of 10 or 15 men. Again the Jugoslavs fired and again the Americans shot back and killed another Jugoslav. The Note emphatically rejected the Jugoslav complaint of July 16 regarding the incident, which was “apparently based on a distortion of the evidence which was available to the Jugoslav as well as the United States ■nlitary authorities.”

In addition, the American Note protested to the Jugoslav Government for the .entry of its soldiers into the Preoenico village in the British sector on July 19 and July 30. It added: “This government must, therefore, protest “ a *J e longest terms against the unwarranted entry of Jugoslav forces

into the Allied zone, also the hostile attitude by Jugoslav troops at Prebenico towarcte British troops and firing without provocation by Jugoslav forces against American troops.” The State Department has also published a Note sent to Belgrade on May 20 listing nine provocative actions by Jugoslavs, who are accused of intimidating the populations and local officials; fomenting industrial unrest, usurping Government functions and sponsoring “criminal and terrorist activities.”

The same Note said that an Allied propaganda campaign by Jugoslavia had culminated in a wholly unfounded charge by Marshal Broz that 12 trains and 70 trucks of fully armed Fascists had been brought into Venezia Giulia with the approval of the Allies. The Note added that the Allied authorities, in establishing the civ’’ police, had carried out a careful examination in order to exclude individuals with pro-Fascist sympathies or tendencies. This force had shown courage and patience in the face of provocation and slander. A State Department official commenced: “We have known for a long time that the Jugoslavs have been trying to discredit the Allied administration in Venezia Giulia We fear that they are basing their case merely on claims suitable to their propaganda.”