YUGOSLAVIA CLOSES ALBANIAN LEGATION

Wanganui Chronicle, 13 November 1950, Page 5

YUGOSLAVIA CLOSES ALBANIAN LEGATION

Relations Near To Breaking BELGRADE, Nov. 11 (Recd. Bpm). —Yugoslavia closed and sealed the Albanian legation in Belgrade today in a move just one step short of breaking off diplomatic relations between the two countries.

A Note containing the decision of Marshal Tito’s Government was handed to a representative of its isolated Mediterranean neighbour today. The Note asserted that Albania had been using its legation in Belgrade, not for the settlement of existing issues between the two Governments, but had utilised its existence exclusively for the purposes of conducting

offending and provocative activities against Yugoslavia and its authorities.

Yugoslavia’s relations with all countries in the Rusisan bloc have become extremely strained since the Cominform break in June, 1948, and although there had been many mutual expulsions of diplomats this is the first time Yugoslavia has taken such action against any of the six satellite countries

Earlier this year, the Albanian Government expelled all Yugoslav diplomats from Tirana, the Albanian capital and, in effect, closed the Yugoslav Legation there. Since then there have been a number of border shooting incidents, the last of which was announced on October 24, when Yugoslavia protested against the wounding of a Yugoslav soldier.