PRESSURE ON YUGOSLAVIA BY RUSSIA

Grey River Argus, 28 September 1949, Page 5

PRESSURE ON YUGOSLAVIA BY RUSSIA

Debated at U.N.O, General Assembly

(Rec. 10.30). NEW YORK, Sept. 26. The Yugoslav Foreign Minister, M. Edward Kardelj, in the United Nations Assembly, made a speech to-day in which he attacked the Russian policy towards Yugoslavia. He said that if Russia was sincere in wanting world peace, it should start by ending its dispute with Marshal Tito.

M. Kardelj said that the Soviet Union would have Yugoslavia’s support for its positive backing of international peaceful co-operation, generally, but there was a profound discrepancy between the Soviet’s words and its deeds on a number of questions. The Soviet could not speak of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, and could not profess peace-loving intentions, while pursuing its present policy of threats to Yugoslavia. Such a policy acquired a particular significance when it was directed towards a country which was not supported by any bloc, and which had no secret pacts or military alliances. M. Kardelj said that Russia was applying “diplomatic” methods to Yugoslavia which were unprecedented in history. The Yugoslavs wanted to organise socialist life along theii’ own lines, but every form of pressure was being brought against their country in the attempt to make her yield to foreign hegemonistic tendencies. Thia was accompanied by a campaign oi lies, slander, and economic pressure Th e pressure had developed into almost a complete blockade by the East European countries. LONDON, Sept 26.

One of the main causes of the Russian “cold war’’ against Yugoslavia was the Russian fear of an independent Balkan Federation, Mr Moshe Pijade, the Yugoslav Assembly's deputy speaker, said in Belgrade to-day, according to a Reuteri report. “The old Eastern question is l reviving. No wonder the imperialisi policy of Czarist Russia in the Balkans is to-day presented in Soviet textbooks as unselfish protection.’’ The Cominform, he said .had never existed as a forum for independent Communist parties, but was run by the Soviet Intelligence Service. Ukraine Delegate’s Reply to Yugoslavia (Rec. 9.30). NEW YORK, Sept. 27. M. Dmitri Manuilsky (Ukraine) spoke in answer to Mr Kardelj in the U.N.O. Assembly. He said: “It is the duty of the Soviet and Government to protect its citizens subjected to persecution and mockery behind the walls of Yugoslav gaols, where Fascist. Gestapo methods of dealing with imprisoned Soviet citizens prevail’’. M. Manuilsky said that Marshal Tito’s regime was making every effort to obtain loans, in exchange for strategic materials to be supplied to foreign- monopolies. He said that allegations of troop movements in the countries bordering Yugoslavia were nothing but “provocations put into circulation by agents of foreign intelligence to justify aggressive plans of imperialist countries against popular democracies”. He said that the trial of Rajk in Hungary exposed “criminal actions of Yugoslavia’s present leaders”. They were acting with American intelligence agents to hatch plans for the establishing of an antiSoviet bloc headed by Yugoslavia. Action in Hungary Against Yugoslavs BUDAPEST, September 26. Hungary to-night ordered the summary expulsion of practically every remaining member of the Yugoslav Legation staff in Budapest, because the Legation is a “centre of espionage and conspiracy”. Ten representatives, including the first counsellor, Dusan Sakota, the military attache and clerical and commercial staffs, arc covered by the 24-hour warning. Almost the only Yugoslav diplomat not affected is the Minister himself, Mi Rrujo Jovanovic. The order was contained in a sharply-worded Note handed to the Yugoslav Legation to-night. The order reiterated charges (made at the trial of Laszlo Rajk) of a Yugoslav conspiracy against the Hungarian Government. It rejected as “arrogant” Marshal Tito’s Note of last Saturday, which protested against the Rajk trial. The order declared that because it “has been proved that the Yugoslav Legation in Budapest is a centr e of ’espionage and conspiracy, the Hungarian Government has decided to put an end to this untenable situation”. The Note concluded: “The Hungarian Government herewith notifies th e Yugoslav Government that in future it will take care that no spies and hired assassins should enter Hungary in the guise of Yugoslav diplomats”.

The term “hired assassins’’ referred to the charge made during the Rajk trial that two “experts in political assassination” had been sent to Hungary last year as members of the Yugoslav Legation. The actual task of these men, it was alleged, was to prepare the assassination of the Hungarian Vice-Premier and Communist leader, Mr Matyas Rakosi, and othei party chiefs. The expulsion note ordered those named in it to leave Hungary by tomorrow evening.