NOTE ALLEGES VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

Chronicle (Levin), 23 August 1946, Page 5

NOTE ALLEGES VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

Press Assn.-

By Telegraph

-Copyright

Received Tlmrsday , 8.45 p.m. NKW YORK, August 21. A new TTnited States note to Yugoslavia demands that. the Arueriean airinen imprisonerl in Yugoslavia be released within 48 liours aud also permission 1'or American diplomatic. representatives to investigate the disappearanee oi' a United States arrny plane. The note ae.cused Yugoslavia oi' plain violation oi' international law aud says Yugoslavia 's ex])lana1ion oi' reoent incidents is wholly iiiadei|Uate aud sliocking 1o Ihe people oi' United States. It adds that if the deniands ave not eoneeded, United States will ask ihe Seenrity Council 1o take appropriate aetion. The note is described by the Assoeiated Press as the latest in the series oi' sl.rong actions by United States against Russia and eountries in the Russian bloe, amounting to a diplomatic counterof'fensive aimed at halling Ihe expansiwn oi' Russian power over olher nations, aud as a showdown between Russia and United States. The note apparently lays the basis for an nnpreeedented appeal to the Security Council by United States.

The note states: "Your (Jovernnient expresses regret because oi' whai you eall an unhappy aceident. Your ({overninent is aware that this is no aecident. A Yugoslav lighter delrherately tired on a United States passenger plane. The attaek on August 19 was not Ihe tirst. A United States passenger plane on August 9. while in the vieinity oi' Klagenfurt, was fired on by a Yugoslav lighter and crash-landed. The crew and passengers were taken into custody by the Yugoslav authorities. These outrageous aets were perpetrated by a (tovernnient that proJ'esses to be a t'riendly nation. The use oi' t'oree by Yugoslavia under United Nations ('barter, in the eircumstanees was without the slightest justitieation in international law, was clearlv inconsistent with relations between t'riendly states and was a plain violation oi Yugoslavia 's obligations under United Nations Uhartej' not to use t'oree exeept in seli'-det'enee. The United States Govermnent demands you imniediatelv to release the oeeupants oi these planes, in custody and also ensure their sal'e passage beyond Yugoslavian borders. The United States Government also demands that its representat i \'ts be permitted to communicate with anv oeeupants of the two planes st ill alive. It within 48 hours oi' l'eeeipt of this note these demands have been eomplied with, United States (Jovei-nment will deterniine a eourso in the light of ihe evidenee t lien seeui-ed and Ihe Yugoslav Uoverument \s efforts to right Ihe wron- done. 1 1' however, within that thiH these demands have not l)i en eomplied with, the United States Uovernment will eall on Ihe Sofinity Couneil to nieet pi'omptly and take appropriate aetion." The note was handed to the Yugoslav Charge d'Aff'aires, Mr. Serge .Makiedo, by .U r. Dean Aeheson, a 1'ew hours after a trans Atlantie telephone eonversa1ion willi .VI r. Byrnes.