S. NOTE: “NAVIGATION HAZARDS”

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24960, 22 August 1946, Page 5

S. NOTE: “NAVIGATION HAZARDS”

)enouncing the Jugoslav attack dost an American aeroplane on gust 9 as “an outrageous performMr Dean Achescn, the Amerii Acting-Secretary of State, made )lic a new American Note to Jugo-

ria. he new Note to Jugoslavia says: would be the normal wish to renmaximum assistance and succour an aircraft of a friendly nation, :ed‘by navigation hazards in bad itiier, over dangerous mountain bar•s, to deviate from its course and k bearings over Jugoslav territory, the contrary, Jugoslav fighters e seen fit, without previous warn- , to take aggressive action against h a United States transport, the atification • marks of which were irly apparent, and to force it to sh-land after wounding one of the sengers.

Detention of Personnel Subsequently the Jugoslav authoridetained the aeroplane, its crew, I passengers, and refused American sular officials access to it until the ited States Embassy made specific resentations.

The United States Embassy in Belde is instructed to protest most emitically, and to renew the demand immediate release of those of the sengers and crew now able to vel; and also to request an urgent >oslav statement whether the ited States can expect that the

Jugoslav Government will accord the usual courtesies, including the right of innocent passage over Jugoslav territory, to United States aircraft deviating from the regular routes under stress and bad weather.

“The Jugoslav authorities have already received the United States’ assurance that United States planes will not cross Jugoslavia without prior clearance, except when forced by circumstances over which they have no control.

“The United States reserves the right to claim compensation.” Reply to Jugoslav Complaint The American Note refers to a Jugoslav complaint on August 10, protesting against 172 violations of Jugoslav territory between July 16 and August 10. It said that on the contrary, only 74 flights were made in that period, and all the crews were briefed to avoid Jugoslavia. It added: “Meanwhile it is reported from Trieste that a second United States plane en route to Italy, from Austria, is missing after reporting itself under machine-gun attack.” Mr Acheson, speaking at a press conference, said that diplomatic officials had reported that the personnel of the aircraft were receiving good treatment. However, he compared the situation with what might frequently happen on the Canadian or Mexican border of the United States, where aircrews across the border “would have received help, not hostile action.”