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Marshal Tito looks on as
the Duke of Edinburgh shakes hands with Mr
Churchill |
1953: Marshal Tito makes historic visit to
London |
Artificially 1969:
The Marshal
Josef Tito of Yugoslavia has arrived in Britain, the first Communist head
of state to visit the country.
The Duke of Edinburgh, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Foreign
Secretary Anthony Eden greeted him at Westminster at the start of his
five-day visit.
He arrived by sea from Yugoslavia in the naval vessel Galeb (Seagull).
He was then brought up river under Royal Navy escort.
Marshal Tito was invited to Britain last September by Mr Eden who was
visiting Yugoslavia to strengthen ties between the two nations.
Talks this week are expected to centre on the aftermath of the recent
death of Josef Stalin, who expelled Yugoslavia from the Cominform group of
communist nations in 1948 for failing to adhere to Soviet policies.
Since that time Yugoslavia has come to rely on Western aid for certain
foods and armaments.
They will also discuss ways of achieving a solution to the problem of
the disputed region of Trieste, whose administration was divided last year
between the United Nations and Yugoslavia.
Tight security
Security was tight as the occasion has been marked by a great deal of
controversy, especially among those Yugoslav exiles who regard Marshal
Tito as a dictator.
Spectators were kept well away from the River Thames embankment where
the marshal disembarked this afternoon.
He shook hands with the Duke and made a short speech in faltering
English greeting the people of Britain and expressing hope of mutual
co-operation, understanding and peace.
"I wish to assure the peoples of Great Britian that they should
consider the people of my country as their staunch allies because the people of the new
Yugoslavia are striving towards the same ends as the people of Great
Britain," he said.
He then inspected the Guard of Honour and was taken in a bullet-proof
car escorted by police motorcyclists to Downing Street.
Later in the afternoon he laid a wreath at the Cenotaph and saluted
Britain's war dead.