TELEGRAM SENT BY BRITISH MINISTER IN BELGRADE
 
      TO FOREIGN OFFICE ON March 26th, 1941.
 
      
 
 
At my request I was afforded an interview with General Simovitch 
      (Chief of Yugos %lav Air Force) this morning. As this officer is 
      head of an organisation intending to carry out a coup d'etat 
      meeting was arranged with great secrecy. The General seemed to 
      be in very good health and had an appearance of alertness, energy 
      and ability which I have rarely observed among senior officers 
      in Serbian Army. He was confident in his speech but cautious 
      in his utterances and gave the impression of sincerity, truthfulness 
      and a belief in what he said. For the sake of simplicity in recording 
      a conversation which ranged over various subjects it is summarized 
      as follows:
 
      
 
 
(a) He stated that there was no doubt that the country felt 
      very strongly about signing of pact with Germany and wished to 
      repudiate both the pact and present Government. They understood 
      that this almost certainly meant war and they preferred this 
      alternative to continuing on present lines.
 
      
 
 
(b) There existed an organisation which was working for the 
      overthrow of present Government. General had confidence in its 
      success and he asked us to have confidence in it and him. We 
      should not have to wait more than a few days before coup d'etat.
 
      
 
 
(c) He was anxious to know how many troops we had in Greece 
      and hoped that we would send a great many there and that we intended 
      to defend Salonica. I replied that we must consider our left 
      flank and this
 
      depended/