Evening star., 1953-11-16
New Offer From Tito
Raises Rome S Hope
For Trieste Talks
BY the Assoeiaied Press

BY the Associoied Press
ROME, Nov. 16.-A new offer
by Yugoslav President Tito to
give Italy the port city of Trieste
raised diplomats expectations
here that a five-power confer
ence on the disputed Adriatic
territory is imminent.
These circles also felt Italy
and Yugoslavia now were agreed
on number of major points
relative to the 285 square miles
of territory inhabited by 375, 1000
persons which each nation has
claimed in the past.
Speaking in Belgrade yester-
day, Marshal Tito dramatically
waived his nations claims to
the port city and conceded Italy
should have it. But he repeated
his demand for the rest of Zone
A, the territory of farms and
vineyards around the city. The
city's 100000 population is
largely Italian, the rest of the
zones $4,000 settlers are mostly
Of YugoSlav origin.
Warns Against Expansion.
Marshal Tito also warned that
any further Italian expansion at
Yugoslav expense would result
in a conflict" He told par
liamentary election rally "Yugo-
slavia will not go to war for
Trieste" but Deputy Foreign
Secretary Ales Bebler later ex-
planned his chief meant just the
port city. not all of Zone A.
Yugoslav control of the rest
of Zone A would isolate the port
from Italy Diplomats here be-
lieved. however. that YugoSlavia
also would concede Italy should
get a corridor linking her with
the city, They anticipate sharp
disagreement. however. on how
wide this band should be.
Belgrade Sees Higher Price.
TN Belgrade a responsible
Interpretation of Yugoslavia's
position indicated she had
raised her price for a peaceful
settlement.
(In a front-page editorial,
the Communist Party's news
paper Borba declared Yugo-
slavia would regard any imme-
diate move by Italy to take
over the city of Trieste itself
as IAN act of aggression" un-
less and until a final settle
ment has been reached.
(Further, Borba insisted,
with such a final settlement
the port city, even if handed
over to Italian sovereignty,
must be given autonomous
rights with guarantees for the
protection of economic and
other interests of countries,
411SluOll1S uSOOldNId'
(After Marshal Tito's speech
Borba called a meeting of it's
editorial boards to draft a
statement of Yugoslav posi-
tion. Presumably. top ranking
Yugoslav foreign policy makers
were consulted.
(Also. Yugoslav Foreign Sec
Sretary Koca Popovic and Ales
Bebler, his top aide. conferred
with the ENJOYS of Britain.
France and the United States,
apparently to advise that the
Tito address should not be
interpreted as meaning any
substantial change in Yugo-
slavia's terms for a final set
tlement.)
Observers in Rome felt that
Marshal Tito's speech repre-
sented a moderation Of Yugo-
slav policy. On October 10 he
had demanded the city be an
autonomous, or self-governing
unit under Italian sovereignty.
with the rest of Zone A having
similar status under Yugoslav
sovereignty. Marshal Tito also
had demanded internationaliza-
ton of the city.
Diplomats here hinted that
announcement of a five-power
conference on Trieste was in the
off1ng. At the conference. the
United States. Britain. France.
Yugoslavia and Italy would seek
to iron out the issues brought
to a head by the British Amer
ican declaration october 8 that
they were withdrawing their oc-
cupation troops from Zone A.
including the port. and turning
the area over to Italy.
Marshal Tito'S threats to
march his own troops into Zone
A-they already occupy Zone B
If the Italians moved in has
delayed the British American
withdrawal.
Circles here expected that the
f1ve-power conference would be
launched by preliminary meet
ings of experts to spell out the
issues.