The Archives of Yugoslavia Day was celebrated - 19.1.2018.

By promotion of the Collection of Documents Yugoslavia and USA, the Day of the Archives of Yugoslavia was celebrated at the presence of various guests from social and cultural public, representatives of diplomatic corps. HRH Crown Prince Alexander Karadjordjević with his family, in the Archives of Yugoslavia. Collected documents present meetings and negotiations of the highest officials of Yugoslavia and USA, 1955-1980 and is prepared by Miladin Milošević and Dragan Bogetić using documents from the fonds of the Archives of Yugoslavia and Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Miladin Milošević wrote the introduction and foreword was written by Dr. Dragan Bogetić.

Dr. Milan Terzić Director of the Archives of Yugoslavia addressed the present talking about the future work of the Archives and its projects in 2018. Dr. Ljubodrag Dimić and Dr. Dragan Bogetić, one of the editors of the Collected Documents, talked about the publication.

Talking about the introduction written by Miladin Milošević and foreword of almost 130 pages written by Dr. Bogetić , Professor Dimić pointed out that this publication contributed perfectly to shed light on the problems dealing with general history of the Cold War that hadn’t been sufficiently researched  as well as the history of Yugoslav diplomacy after the Cold War, even more so, for the Archives of Yugoslavia had earlier published two volumes of documents, one  dealing with Yugoslav-Soviet diplomatic relations and another one with complete correspondence between Josip Broz Tito and American Presidents. This formed a solid base to research diplomatic relations between Yugoslavia and two supreme-powers and to define more precisely its position in the international community in the atmosphere of the cold war.

Dr. Bogetić explained that the documents published in this collected documents speak for themselves, explicitly about unusual interwoven interests of Yugoslavia and USA and about some kind of special mutual closeness that often challenged interests of the blocks and ideology schemes. At the same time the documents "highlight frequent prevailing of completely opposite trend in Yugoslav – American relations – at the periods when nonalignment of Yugoslavia was too much “red“ for the Americans and too much anti – Western and when it was for them only obvious tactic to make use of both sides and in that way accomplish narrow and selfish national aims and interests for itself. That permanent change of ups and downs, confidence and suspicion in Yugoslav –American relations being the only pattern in that relation, presented, actually, explicit reflection of permanent conflict of ideology and state pragmatism".
Having this in mind Bogetić continued "documents from this Collected Papers could be treated as impressive evidence of years long and burdensome efforts of both Yugoslav and American politicians to find optimal balance between severe ideological oppositeness  that have permanently separated two countries, and pragmatic, global state interests leading them to cooperation. Outcome of this permanent conflict of ideology and pragmatism administered to a great extent actual situation of Yugoslav- American relations".
Dr. Bogetić stressed that the documents from this collected papers indicate "strict determination of Yugoslav-American relations by actual situation of Yugoslav – Soviet relations. Yugoslav- American and Yugoslav- Soviet relations presented some kind of communicating vessels: improvement of one sphere inevitable caused the decline of another". Americans were satisfied that Yugoslavia with its example encouraged socialistic countries to free themselves from Russian embrace and that to some extant it suppressed more intense spreading of Russian influence over the "Third World". Besides, they realized that Tito was most influential and most serious opponent to the Cuban radicalism in the Nonaligned Movement.
The Officials from Belgrade were not satisfied with deterioration of American-Soviet relations. "So that was the reason why Tito was eager to take over the role of mediator between American and Soviet leaders at the time when they requested him to do so".It is obvious from the documents, as Bogetić said "during his last conversation that he had with President Carter in Washington on March 1978, Tito characterized himself as some kind of "mail box" where foreign statesmen send important messages that he afterwards directs to the designed destinations. Truly, on this occasion, he was not satisfied with Carter’s request to persuade Brezhnev to visit USA. It seemed to him that this kind of mission was doomed to failure beforehand, having in mind personal animosity coming from both sides and mutual intolerance of both presidents".

Finally Dr. Bogetić stressed that documentation showed how well- founded was this Tito’s estimation based on the facts on his funeral. "Different from majority of the leading world leaders of that time – Carter was not present at his funeral because he did not want to meet Brezhnev in no way. So finally this Tito’s last mediation mission from the symbolic point of view was definitely buried with him. Otherwise, Carter fulfilled his promise that he had given to Tito during his last visit to Washington and visited Yugoslavia, one month after his funeral. That turned out to be the last visit of one American president to Belgrade".