Press

THE CHANCELLERY of
HRH CROWN PRINCE ALEXANDER
OF YUGOSLAVIA's

S T A T E M E N T

in connection with a recent letter of
HRH Prince Alexander, son of HRH Prince Paul

His Royal Highness Prince Alexander, son of HRH Prince Paul, Yugoslavia's Prince Regent (1941 - 1941), who lives in Paris, released a letter to the Serbs on 1 July this year dealing with the creation of Yugoslavia in 1918 and some other topical themes. In his letter Prince Alexander says inter alia that "Yugoslavia is the most important cause of our suffering" and "a huge Serbian cemetery", and then goes on to ask the Serbs to forgive King Alexander I for having created the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later Yugoslavia. He also pleaded for forgiveness for the other Karadjordjevic's.

Prince Alexander's letter has been published in various versions and under various headings in a number of Serbian newspapers and electronic media. One newspaper claimed it was written "on behalf of the Royal House", another attributes it to HRH Crown Prince Alexander. The letter has been published under sensationalist headings such as "Brothers, forgive the king for the sin called Yugoslavia" or "Serbs, forgive the king, the unifier".

This Chancellery is authorised to state in this connection that His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander had nothing to do either with the contents of the letter or its publication. Without going into an assessment of the contents of Prince Alexander's letter, this Chancellery would like to point out that his assertions represent his own personal views and do not express the attitude and views of the Royal Karadjordjevic House. It notes also that Prince Alexander has not been authorised by other members of the Karadjordjevic Royal Family to apologise to anybody or to seek anybody's forgiveness on their behalf.

King Alexander I was a great king, statesman and army leader and the Serbian people remember him in the best possible light. Had he not been killed by a criminal hand in Marseilles in 1934, Yugoslavia's fate would most certainly been different. The verdict on his life's work should be left to history. This Chancellery is sure that it will be positive.

London, 29 July 1999