Istorija 20. Veka (Aug 2015)
Josip Broz Tito u ''Politici'' i ''Borbi'' februara 1969: o Kosovu i Metohiji, međunarodnim odnosima i štampi
Abstract
When Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito have visited Belgrade based newspaper and publishing houses „Politika“ and „Borba“ in February 1969, he took advantage to present some of his remarks on some of the most important problems of Yugoslav society and international relations within the interview with journalists. Talking about the internal situation in Yugoslavia, Tito’s most important messages were concerned the Albanian “question“ in Kosovo and Metohija. He described the situation in province unrealistically optimistic, stating that all of the problems in this Serbian province are based in economic, social and class problems. On the acutal Albanian requests for a new republic to be created in Kosovo, Tito was not determined and clear. He categorically refused the possibility that propaganda for secession of the Kosovo should be tolerated. The demands for creation of the republic of Kosovo Tito marked as „nonsense“, but he enabled the Albanians to have all the rights as other republics, including the right for the flag. Tito did not allowed that the framework of Yugoslavia should be changed, while the Serbia was not mentioned as a framework in which Albanians should exercise their rights. Tito’s views on international relations showed that he was particularly worried about the maneuvers of the US fleet in the Mediterranean and the crisis in the Middle East. He expressed the impressions of the visit to Romania, which was significant for the Yugoslav foreign policy as the state sharing the same views on the issue of European security. Tito commented the appointment of the Presindet Nixon as the man who „carefully learned the international constellation“ before the he came to power. He showed the belief that Nixon will be „more flexible“. Tito commented the emergence of China as the „new factor“ and assessed that this country was „a source of some concern for the Soviet Union“, since China will become a „nuclear superpower“ one day. For the „most sensitive issue“ among the international security issues Tito marked the Middle East where „one day a blaze can erupt.“
