EQUIPMENT FOR JUGOSLAVIA

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25955, 8 November 1949, Page 5

EQUIPMENT FOR JUGOSLAVIA

Aircraft Engines And Petrol DECISION 7 BY U.S. AND BRITAIN (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) A T, 4- LONDON, Nov. 7. A British and American decision to permit the supply of civil aircraft engines and petrol to Jugoslavia will take effect within the next few days, according to a Foreign Office spokesman.

. He added that Britain and the United States would probably be allowed to use airfields in Jugoslavia, but he did not know of any British plan to open a civil air service to Jugoslavia. It had been decided to permit Jugoslav civil aircraft to use British and American airports. The Vienna correspondent of the Daily Telegraph” says it is thought in Vienna that the United States may during the winter release other categories of war-like stores to Marshal

The correspondent adds that Jugoslavia’s military weakness is known to be a critical shortage of army and air force equipment of all types. Concern over this is reported to have been conveyed to Western observers when Soviet satellite forces were staging troop demonstrations along Jugoslavia’s northern frontiers in the late summer and autumn.

The Jugoslav Army has about 1000 tanks, including Russian and American models. Only about 500 are thought to be serviceable. They are kept going by spare parts stripped from the remainder. The Jugoslav Air Force is similarly placed, with most of its assortment of 500 aeroplanes already grounded for lack of spare parts.