-4-
 
at the present time, because of the prevailing condi-
 
tions, can know exactly the feelings and sentiments of
 
the Yugoslav people, Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The
 
most important task at present is to form a strong gov-
 
ernment with the full support of the Allies in order to
 
unite all resistance forces in Serbia, Croatia and Slo-
 
venia, with the aim of rendering all possible assis-
 
tance to the Allies in defeating the enemy. Furthermore,
 
the task of such a government would be to insure to the
 
people of Yugoslavia, after it is liberated, the oppor-
 
tunity to express freely their will as to the form of
 
government they prefer and not to afford politicians and
 
 political speculators' an opportunity to perpetuate
 
their power and selfish interests in post-war Yugoslavia.
 
     "The Shepherd is of the opinion that a feder~
 
ated democratic Yugoslavia is to the interests of the
 
Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and, furthermore,
 
he believes that Bulgaria could in the future join Yugoslavia in a
 
federation, provided the people of Bulgaria wished it to
 
be so.
 
     "The Shepherd reiterated that he is only too