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ANNEX

YUGOSLAV REVOLT.

93

According to a message received from Colonel Mihailovic, he has succeeded in reaching an understanding with the Partisans in Yugoslavia. Colonel Mihailovic has also emphasised his desperate need for arms and munitions, money, clothes, boots, etc.

It is understood that the despatch of supplies by submarine is being prepared, but immediate aid can only be given by air. It seems of the utmost importance that the necessary machines should be sent to Malta at once for use during the moon period which begins during the next few days. The Minister for Economic Warfare fully shares this opinion.

While the civil war was on, it is very comprehensible that there may have been a disinclination to make any special effort to detach machines for this purpose from the bombing force in this country. Moreover even now it may be felt that the single message seeming to show that Colonel Mihailovic has composed his quarrel with the Partisans would not in itself justify us in making special efforts to send him supplies. But against this there can be little doubt that, provided that the Partisans realise that Colonel Mihailovic is the person whom we are supporting, they will tend to turn to him. On these grounds alone it seems, therefore, of the highest importance to give Colonel Mihailovic the assistance for which he has asked,

With a view to maintaining the understanding whioh has apparently been reached, it is proposed to send a message to Colonel Mihailovic making it clear that the supply of assistance by His Majesty's Government is dependent on the maintenance of a united front. The Yugoslav Government will be asked to take similar action, and Sir S. Cripps will be instructed to inform the Soviet Government of the present position and ask them to urge the Partisans to rally to Colonel Mihailovic.

A letter has now been received from General Simovitch urging the extreme need of providing Colonel Mihailovic immediately with the material mentioned in paragraph 1 above.

FOREIGN OFFICE.

November 27th. 1941

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