YUGOSLAV COURSE

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 118, 15 November 1945, Page 7

YUGOSLAV COURSE

STATEMENT BY TITO

LONDON, November 14. "The programme on which we fought the war was the programme on which the National Front went to the polls. It is the same programme which we worked out in 1942, and we do not intend to change it," said Marshal Tito in an interview with "The Times" correspondent at Belgrade.

"The fact that the National Front won the election does not mean that it will reverse or alter its political destination. That remains what it was before —the construction of a wide democratic system for Yugoslavia, in which every individual can live a decent life. We are now able to start to plan our economy on a rational basis." Marshal Tito said there would be no persecution of people who did not side with the National Front. He would like to see the Opposition leading a full political life. Referring to relations between Britain and Yugoslavia, Marshal Tito said that if relations were not better than they were during the war it was not Yugoslavia's fault. Yugoslavia certainly wanted good relations with Britain and America. The Yugoslav Army was being demobilised as fast as it reasonably could be, but he did not want to send men who had fought hard back to homes in areas which were on the verge of famine. Marshal Tito revealed that all the churches in Yugoslavia were under a new constitution and would be disestablished from State support. The correspondent says that Marshal Tito spoke very warmly of General Alexander, for whom -he seemed to have a special liking. He emphasised, however, that there was no spoken word or written agreement under which the British or Yugoslavs should not assault, enter, or occupy Trieste. Marshal Tito said there was never any question of his not keeping the promise he had made to General Alexander in Belgrade.