JUGOSLAVIJA - STVARANJE I SPROVOĐENJE KONCEPCIJE KOLEKTIVNE BEZBEDNOSTI U DRUŠTVU NARODA
YUGOSLAVIA AND THE CREATION AND REALIZATION OF THE CONCEPTION OF COLLECTIVE SECURITY IN THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Summary/Abstract: Yugoslavia was the founder member of the League of Nations, the first system of collective security. The Yugoslav delegate, Milenko Vesnić, participated in the work of the committee which prepared, in 1919, the Draft of the pact of this international organization. The outlooks of the Yugoslav delegate represented the original opinions of the young Yugoslav state, which agreed with the national state interests, taking at the same time into consideration also the general values of the League of Nations. Mr Vesnić was for an organization which would be founded on complete sovereign rights of the member countries. His speeches held the fears of a small state confronted with potential limitations of freedom of action on the international field, which came from the great powers. The Yugoslav suggestions show a realistic and constructive outlook of the Pact’s law regulations and bring into question the long valid conception of the dependency of the Yugoslav delegation's program of external politics at the peace negotiations. Later participation of the Yugoslav state in the work of the League of Nations did not follow the initial, so promising one. Worried about the unstable position of their country, its representatives were guided chiefly by national interests. The Yugoslav contribution to the League of Nations is visible only in its founding period, but the general attitude towards this system was positive, because it was realized that a small country as well can protect itself from all kinds of pressures by affirming its reputation in the international organization.

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