Tito Proclaims Yugoslavia's Independence

Chronicle (Levin), 10 September 1949, Page 5

Tito Proclaims Yugoslavia's Independence

m.z.p.A,

— Reuter

. Copyright)

Received Friday, 8.50 p.m, LONDON, Sept.. 8. The , Associated Press's Belgrade correspondent states that Marslial Tito tonight proclaimed his country's economic independence from the trade ties with which, the Russian-dominated Cominform countries have attempted to strangle Yugoslavia. He spoke brieflv to a delegation of French sympatliisers to Yugoslavia's cause. Referring to the Eastern European boycott of Yugoslavia, he said: "We shall buy what wo need somewhere else. We liave great mineral wealth. " Tito said Yugoslavia was not expecting troubJ,e. He made the statement, he added, against a baeltground of "untrue, insulting an^ fabricated rumours which have been cireulating about this country's condition. These rumours do not discourage us. They give u.s more strength. " A Polish Poreign Ministry Note accuses members of the Yugoslav Embassy in Warsaw of. espionage and says the Tito Government has "trodden down and destroyed the pact of friendship and mutual assistance- signed ori March 18, 1946." The. iXote accuses Mr. PetroveC of the -Embassy staff of organising a network 'of espionage to obtain plans of Polish industry and railways, and economic relations between Poland, Russia, Bulgaria and other nations. The Xote says.Petrovec paid agents considerable sums of money for documents which he Sent to Yugoslavia. It classes this activity as a "hostile act in relation to the Polish State" and Says Polish public . opinion is against the Yugoslav Government because of its desertion from tlie democratie camp.