Canada and Yugoslavia had bilateral relations from 1942 to 1992. As the two countries were in opposing blocs during the Cold War, relations were initially distant, but began to develop after Yugoslavia split from the Eastern Bloc and created the Non-Aligned Movement.
Canada established formal bilateral relations with the Yugoslav government-in-exile on 9 February 1942 during World War II.[1] Canada followed earlier decisions by the United States and United Kingdom and in December 1945 officially recognized the new Yugoslav communist government.[2] Planning for a Canadian diplomatic mission in Yugoslavia began in late 1947, and once opened the mission in Belgrade was the second mission in the Balkans after the one in Athens, Greece.[2] While Canada disagreed with Yugoslav official Marxist social framework the country still believed that Yugoslavia would respond favorably to Canadian initiatives in the United Nations where cooperation was developed.[2]
Relations developed following the 1948 Tito–Stalin split, when Canada started to perceive Yugoslavia as an entry point from which to challenge Soviethegemony in Eastern Bloc countries.[2] Relations were however cautious due to dissatisfaction of the Yugoslav side with the fact of right-wing nationalist and World War II revisionist Yugoslav Canadian emigration. In addition, while Canada was firmly entrenched with the Western Bloc, Yugoslavia promoted a policy of equidistance between superpowers and played a prominent role in development of the Non-Aligned Movement.
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