HIGH OPTIMISM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25853, 25 May 1945, Page 5

HIGH OPTIMISM

JUGOSLAV PROBLEM POSSIBILITY OF SOLUTION * LONDON, May 23. Official cii'cies in London stale that exclianges on a, diplomatic level on the Trieste situation are still proceeding, says the Press Association’s diplomatic correspondent. Progress is being made, and a second commun.cation received from Field-marshal Alexander represents a constructive approach to a solution. The correspondent understands that the Jugoslavs have agreed to the establishment of a Military Government under Field-marshal Alexander with Jugoslav participation, and operating through the’ civilian authorities already established in the disputed area.

Optimism in Allied circles in Trieste about the possibility of reaching an agreement with Jugoslavia is higher than at any time since the city was entered.

It is reported that the negotiations now proceeding on “ higher levels ” are running Smoothly, and an agreement within a matter of days would cause no surprise. Despite the better atmosphere, however, neither side has relaxed its vigilance. Marshal Tito’s forces have been strengthened by the arrival of 20 medium tanks of Russian manufacture. The British and American troops yesterday peacefully penetrated into the hills north-east of Trieste and east from Gorizia. From their new positions General McCreery’s men now overlook the strategically-important railway betwen Trieste and Gorizia, over which the bulk of Allied supplies for Austria will pass. Dissensions between Britain, America, and Jugoslavia jwere denied by Marshal Tito in a speech at Zagreb, according to the Jugoslav News Agency. Tito said: “This affair will certainly be solved,'but we will firmly defend our rights.” He added that the fact that the Allies had an agreement regarding zones of occupation could not be a reason for preventing Jugoslavia from protecting her enslaved brethren.

It is reported from Trieste that Field-marshal Alexander visited there to inspect the New Zealand troops. General Frevberg was host at a dinner last night, at which there were several senior Jugoslav officers as guests. The dinner is said to have no significance, as the invitations were issued a week ago. The Associated Press Trieste correspondent says now that a feeling of calm and relaxation seems to have spread, Jugoslav patrols in the city hav? been greatly reduced in numbers. There are also fewer young partisans marching through the streets with tommy-guns. The food situation in Trieste continues to cause alarm, but the local authorities have published a statement that the Jugoslav Government is sending stocks of U.N.R.R.A. food to the city. The Daily Telegraph’s Rome correspondent says the Italian Ambassador ir, Moscow," reporting to Signor Bonomi on the Soviet attitude to the Trieste dispute, says: “While the Russian Government unofficially sympathises with Marshal Tito, the latter could not count on any official backing from Moscow should he take an intransigent stand.”