Jedan ibeovski diplomata u Beogradu
A Cominform Diplomat in Belgrade:

Czechoslovakian Ambassador Pithart and Normalization of Relations between Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia 1954–1956

Author(s): Slobodan Selinić
Subject(s): Diplomatic history, Political history, Post-War period (1950 - 1989), History of Communism, Cold-War History
Published by: Institut za noviju istoriju Srbije
Keywords: Czechoslovakia; Yugoslavia; Belgrade; Vilem Pithart; Normalization of Relations between Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia
Summary/Abstract: After several years of hostility from the end of 1949 until mid-1953, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia started to normalize their relations in August 1954 by signing a trade agreement. Raising of diplomatic relations to ambassador level followed and Czechoslovakian Ambassador Pithart arrived to Belgrade on 21 September 1954. Normalization of economic relations gained in importance after the establishment of economic exchange at the level of regular annual contracts on the basis of an Agreement of 19 February 1955. Ambassador Pithart has invested most of his efforts in solving the issue of mutual claims which was resolved by an agreement of 11 February 1956. In the first stage of dealing with this issue, he was the main Czechoslovakian negotiator, following the instructions he got from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia and his government. In addition, in 1955 Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia exchanged prisoners of respective countries. Pithart arrived to Belgrade without diplomatic experience, but had experience in economic affairs, which was certainly important at a time when solving of economic and financial issues was among the most important for the process of normalization of relations between Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. He also came as a loyal party worker, convinced in the correctness of not only Czechoslovakian road to socialism but also of Stalin’s work, although he served in Belgrade after Stalin’s death.

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