TRIESTE MOVE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25203, 16 May 1945, Page 7

TRIESTE MOVE

TROOPS TOLD TO LEAVE OBDEH FROM ALLIES "NOT AN ULTIMATUM" LONDON, May 14 The British and United States Governments, acting together, have peremptorily ordered Marshal Tito to withdraw his troops from the British and American military zone, which includes Trieste, says the Daily Express political correspondent. The Soviet Government h'as been informed of this action. The Note sent to.Marshal Tito is not in the form of au ultimatum, says the correspondent, but it is made clear that the withdrawal must be carried out immediately. The two Governments take a most serious view of Marshal Tito's action in seizing the Italian area and Bis declaration that he proposes to hold it. They contend that there should not be local frontier settlements pending a general peace, settlement, and that there should certainly be no re-drawing of frontiers by force. British Warships Arrive A meeting between Mr Churchill, President Truman and Marshal Stalin, j it is hoped, should be possible within the next few weeks, when the Trieste trouble will be high on the agenda, unless it is settled beforehand. The British cruiser Orion and the destroyers Cleveland and Lauderdale hav® arrived at Trieste, says the Daily Herald correspondent at Allied naval headquarters in Italy. Discussions are proceeding between British and Yugoslav representatives about the situation, which remains indecisive.

The dispute over the administration of Trieste and the surrounding areas hag led to a delicate and critical position. which is causing considerable anxiety in London, says the Press Association's diplomatic correspondent. As matters stand at present, Marsha! Tito ha,, announced his intention of setting up a Yugoslav administration to control not only Trieste, hut also a vide surrounding area in the province of Venezia Giulia, extending as far ft« to include a strip of southern Austria. Italian Attitude Voiced Britain and America believe that for the completion of Allied military operatons the area should be controlled by Field-Marshal Sir Harold Alexander. They deprecate any attempt by Yugoslavia to occupy the territory before being authorised to do so by the peace conference. ''lf Yugoslavia carries out a 'grab ana control' policy," adds the correspondent, "she, may tempt other countries to follow suit, and possibly end all hope of orderly settlement." A Rome message reports that the Italian Foreign Minister, Signor Alcide de Gasperi, has offered to make territorial concessions to Yugoslavia. Simultaneously he has issued a warning that the continued occupation of Trieste by force would breed a strong nationalistic, reactionary Government in Italy, and "Would provide Italy in the coming years "with a reason for going to war with her neighbour. The Allied Government, he ? ai d, should move in and take the place in Trieste formerly hold by the Italian government. Italy is quite willing to bave the Slovenes in local offices where there has been a majority of Slovenes, but the over-all administration must he neutral, to protect- citizens of all races. Yugoslav Statement The Yugoslav newspaper Burba today described Italy's claim to Trieste as imperialistic." and against the geographical, economic and political reasons on which, Yugoslavia based its claim to Trieste. x. The Yugoslav Vice-Premier, M. Mvard Kardeij, denied today that Jugoslavia was trying to present the world with a fait accompli by occupying Trieste He said: "Yugoslavia has never aenied her readiness to discuss and put lorward demaiids on the final drawing or frontiers with her neighbours at the peace conference. Therefore, Yugoslavia s attitude to the present status in „xl? A t ® rnt « r .v does not differ from the attitude of the rest of the Allies in relation to the territories they Occupy.'' J + v Daily Telegraph correspondent, on wie itn In-Austrian border says that Jugoslavs are infiltrating ail over the countryside. In Italy, they have crossed rf? l son 7.0, and even reached the Jagliamento River, 65 miles northwest of \ emce. article on,the Trieste region ap(J»a,ig on page 6, i