 The Chetniks noticed that Italy on occupied territories implements traditional 
policy of deceiving Croats with the help of Serbs and they believed that Italy in case of victory of the Axis powers will favor Serbs in Lika, northern Dalmatia and Bosnia
and Herzegovina and that Serbian autonomy would be created in this area under Italian protectorate.The Italians (especially General Dalamazzo) looked favorably on these approaches and hoped to first avoid fighting the Chetniks, and then use them against the Partisans, a strategy which they thought would give them an "enormous advantage".An agreement was concluded on 11 January 1942 between the representative of the Italian 2nd Army, Captain Angelo De Matteis and the Chetnik representative for southeastern Bosnia, Mutimir Petković, and was later signed by Draža Mihailović's chief delegate in Bosnia, Major Boško Todorović.Among other provisions of the agreement, it was agreed that the Italians would support Chetnik formations with arms and provisions, and would facilitate the release of "recommended individuals" from Axis concentration camps (Jasenovac, Rab ...).