Russia and Trieste

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25734, 21 February 1949, Page 6

Russia and Trieste

[ Russia’s surprise move in the Security Council to have the British nominee appointed Governor of Trieste is of course a move back to the solution of the problem of the territory laid down in the peace treaty with Italy—a solution long obstructed by Russia. The treaty provided that a Free Territory of Trieste should be established and a governor appointed by the Security Council after consulting the Jugoslav and Italian Governments. When the council set about this business, Russia encduraged the Jugoslavs in their attempts to make their zone of Trieste virtually part of Jugoslavia and prevented any settlement by persistently objecting to the nominees of other Powers. In these circumstances Britain, tfie United States, and France proposed instead, early last year, that Trieste should be restored to Italian sovereignty. The Italian Government formally accepted the proposal; the Jugoslav Government of course protested. Russia rejected a meeting of the interested Powers to amend the treaty and did not reply to later approaches, seeking joint consideration of the question. Since then, however, new factors have arisen. Russian and Jugoslav relations have become difficult and the Western Powers stand still closer to Italy. Jugoslavia’s new attitude in the Austrian peace treaty negotiations may also, no doubt, be related to the Trieste question. By being more accommodating she probably hopes to influence the Western Powers to return to the original proposal for Trieste, which would be more acceptable than their substitute for it. The whole question, always an intricate one, is now given another awkward twist. Russia, it may be supposed, wants to put the Western Powers in the predicament of a choice that must either impair their good relations with Italy or spoil their chance of cultivating better ones with Jugoslavia. There is only one safe way out of it, to be consistent. There is no sound reason, now, for returning to the treaty solution; there are strong ones against doing so.