Soviet Believed To Be After The Scalp of Tito

Grey River Argus, 14 August 1948, Page 7

Soviet Believed To Be After The Scalp of Tito

LONDON, August 12 The’impression is growing in London that the quarrell between Russia and Yugoslavia is entering a new phase, and that the Soviet is organising a system of economic sanctions against Yugoslavia with the object of bringing Marshal Tito to heel. Albania, which had the closest possible ties with Yugoslavia, ' recently expelled her trade representatives and severed trade relations, while Bulgaria, after some preliminary hesitation, has also virtually severed trade relations, while Bulgaria, after some preliminary hesitation, has also virtually severed relations. This was followed by the announcement that Yugoslavia would buy a large quantity of oil from the Anglo-Iranian Company, which is taken as a plain idication that Rumania, under Russian pressure, has cut off Marshal Tito’s oil supplies. „ + The latest evidence of the trend Qi event comes from Prague, which it was announced this week that Yugoslavia would “have great difficulty, in obtaining import permits from Czechoslovakia. Simultaneously, the official Czech travel agency announced that all organised tours to Yugoslavia had been stopped. If these developments continue, Marshal Tito will be placed in a well nigh untenable position. At present the great bulk of Yugoslavia s trade, both inwards and .outwards is with countries of the Eastern bloc, and the Russians are in a position to hamstring his army by cutting ofl suonlies of heavy munitions. Correspondents attending the Danubian conference in Belgrade report plain signs of friction between the in the have been "hinting darkle thaf S Yugoslavia has it coming to her. Yugoslav Communists Depose Ministers BELGRADE, August 12. The newspapers report that three Ministers h ave been replaced and a new Vice-President appointed, m Bosnia-Herzegovina, says the Associated Press correspondent. It is the second time that the Yugo Slav Communists have swept high State Ministers out of office m an attempt to strengthen their governing is given for the changes, which follow the dismissal last week of the Montenegrian Vice-President and several Ministers. Yugoslavs Rebuked From Western Quarter At Danube Conference BELGRADE. August 12 ; The British Ambassador here, Sir Charles Peake, rebuked Yugoslavia at the Danube Conference lor its .charges that America and Britain were attempting economic and political penetration in seeking participation in the Danube Commission. He said the Yugoslavs had conveniently forgotten the UNRRA aid which they bad accepted without anv fear of economic and politico, penetration. The United States had offered to trade away its seat on the new Danubian Control Commission in return for an Austrian or German representative. SOVIET PROPOSAL The conference was debating a Soviet proposal that membership on the commission .be limited, to the Danubian countries. Mr Bebler, Jugoslav- Deputy eign! Minister, asserted that the American delegation was not sincercin claiming that its only interests m the Danube lav in peace and economic progress. , Sir C. Peake said the British delegation’s participation in the conference was entirely without prejudice to Britain’s rights and privileges under the 1921 Danube Convention. His remarks constituted notice , to the conference that Britain might withhold her approval of the decisions of the conference and latci insist on a ruling, probably from the International Court of Justice, on whether the 1921 convention, was Sl Sir'Charles Peake demanded that Russia prove its claim to be a Danubian country with direct territorial interests in the control of the Danube. Waving a map of Eastern Europe, he said he could not discovei where the Danube touched the sou of Russia, except in the Ukraine. Therefore he argued that Russia should not be entitled to two seats Russia’s and Ukraine’s—on the proposed control commission. U.S. Criticism Of The Soviet’s Danube Plan WASHINGTON, Aug 12. The United States Secretary o. State (General G. C. Marshall) said that Russia’s proposals for navlgution on the Danube would obstiuc. free trade on the river, and the United States would not agree to them. , The Danube conference, where tne Western Powers were a minority, was “an excellent example” of difficulties the United States had encountered in all its negotiations to settle Europe's problems. “But we, must not compromise °n great principle* to achieve agreement for agreement’s sake,” he said. He added:—, “The Danube provides a route ot commerce for many Central and Eastern European countries, but tne Soviet and its satellites , are trying to gain control of the river at tne expense of the general restoration oi prosperity in Europe.”