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ANNEX I.

Copy of a Telegram dated 19th January, 1941, from Belgrade

to the Foreign Office.

No. 95.

b b b b b

IMMEDIATE.

In the light of assurances, repeatedly given to me by our friend and by Minister for Foreign Affairs and President of the Council as to determination of Yugoslavia to resist by force any demand for passage of German troops, and in view of the encouragement which might be given to Yugoslav Government to oppose the passage of Germans through Bulgaria I had had intention of enquiring whether any arms could be made available to this country of stocks captured from Italians in Libya or otherwise in order to supplement the extremely meagre supplies of weapons of which Yugoslav army at present grp. undec.7. On 15th January, assistant

Minister of War, who said that he had heard through an intermediary a Yugoslav official in touch with a member of the Legation - that Great Britain was prepared to sell to Yugoslavia used war material to the value of 3 milliard dinars at a greatly reduced price. Assistant Minister for War then handed to Military Attache, who denied any knowledge whatever of this matter, a list of Yugoslav requirements (given in my immediately following telegram) and asked that he should ascertain urgently which items Great Britain was prepared to supply, and channel and date of delivery and conditions as to payment.

2. Assistant Minister for War although pressed has not disclosed particulars as to alleged intermediary (of whose existence I am inclined to be doubtful though the matter may have developed out of approach made several weeks ago to Passport Control Officer who has reported to his organisation in London) but meanwhile Military Attache has learned from his United States colleague that the latter was asked to visit Assistant Minister for War on 16th January and was handed a list of war material requirements substantially similar to that given to Military Attache. Both Military Attache and his United States colleague were asked to treat the matter as most confidential.

3. I assume that there is little hope of our supplying items on the list in question from our own used stocks or of supplying tin plates, Wool or sacks against minerals, but I trust that captured Italian or other war material if available for needs of Yugoslav army and air force will be considered in view of considerations mentioned in first sentence of this telegram.

4.

I understand that Yugoslav Legation in London is applying on behalf of Ministry of War for navicerts on Bosiljka for 12,126 tyres and an equal number of tubes to be used on lorries bought from United States and others already in service but not for vehicles supplied from Germany without tyres. Pending the result of application of Yugoslavia, Military Attache at Washington has been instructed to conclude the contract with Goodyear. As tyres could be held in Egypt or at Salonica (not in Yugoslavia free zone) on the same terms as in the case of lubricating oil to be shipped on Bosiljka I see no objection to granting navicert.

* 3:0

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