TITO STATES VIEWS TO FRENCH LEADERS (W/ATTACHMENT)

Created: 5/13/1956

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

ITO STATES VIEWS TO FRENCH LEADERS

auaira in me rrench Foreign Ministry, Roland de Margerle, said he was considerably impressed by the strong anti-Soviet feeling of Titofc party,among the military men, but also including Foreign Minister Popovic.

Tito said he believed theompletely irreversible trend despite the fact that incidents may occur which might be interpretedacksliding toward Stalinism. He said the evolution wouldong time since the Soviet bureaucracy is still filled with Stalinists. Tito cautioned against any Western actions toward the Satellites that would either alarm the Soviet leaders or incite 'foolish actions" in the Satellites, since in either case the USSR would again tighten the grip it now seems to be relaxing.

French premier Mollet responded to these views cautiously, saying that France was following the Soviet developments with Interest, but not too much optimism.

May 56

Intelligence Bulletin

3

ITO REPORTED CONCERNED OVER FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS IN USSR

Yugoslav president Tito has consid-

lunedoubts as to the future course

-CONFIDENTIAL of events in the USSR,

?itOhi> nnd

of his SovietD^omeanssurethe "youngerin party leaders, such as Shepijov, Suslov, Saburov and others" are serious in their iritention'fnT present course of liberalization in Soviet Internal andpolicy.

Tito fears that when they supplant the older members of the Soviet presidium, who he feels are sincere in changing Stalin's policies, they may "perhaps unconsciously revert more to the Stalinist methods in which they have been uniquely trained."

| believes Soviet attempts during the visit to present Yugoslav relations, particularly In the military field, as closer than they actually were had beenby the Yugoslavs and that Tito was concerned by the possible effect his visit would have on his relations with the United States. He felt Tito on his return to Belgrade would go out of his way to make some statement critical of the Soviets and express his continued desire to maintain good relations with the West.

has often disclosed|_

fHLjU^Hwith Westerners his suspicions regarding the intentions of certain unnamed members of the Soviet hierarchy. He has emphasized, however, the need to encourage the present Soviet policy changes, maintaining that any strong public criticism would only strengthen thefaction in the Soviet leadership.

uneIntelligence7

CENTRAL FILE COPr

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