868.01 AMG/10–1844: Airgram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador to the Greek Government in Exile in Egypt (MacVeagh)

A–45. There is quoted below the text of a draft note associating the U.S. Government with the “Memorandum of Agreement Regarding Questions Concerning Civil Administration, Jurisdiction and Relief Arising out of Operations in Greek Territory of a Military Force” executed by the British and Greek Governments. You were in no. 139 of October 16, instructed to deliver this note to the Greek Government in behalf of the U.S. Government, the text of which it was understood was being transmitted to you by military authorities in the Theatre. The Department should be promptly advised of the Greek reply to this note.

“1. It is the desire of the United States Government to participate, for the initial period after liberation, in the military program for the relief and rehabilitation of Greece.

2. The United States Army has been authorized to participate in conjunction with the United Kingdom in the military program of essential relief and rehabilitation activities essential to relief in liberated Greek areas, within the limits of such supply and shipping as may be made available for the purpose. Such relief and rehabilitation will be limited to:

a.
relief services such as public health, welfare, and sanitation;
b.
the provision of relief supplies;
c.
such emergency rehabilitation of public utilities, agriculture, and transportation as may be essential to relief; and
d.
in connection with such relief, the furnishing of assistance to displaced persons and refugees.

The military program will be carried out by a combined military headquarters which will include a limited number of United States officers. The United States financial participation in this undertaking is limited to its agreed share of the cost of civilian supplies furnished to Greece and to the services of the United States Army officers. It is understood that final settlement between the United States and Greek Governments for expenditures by the United States Government in connection with this undertaking shall be the subject of a separate agreement.

3. The Government of the United States desires to associate itself with the “Memorandum of Agreement Regarding Questions Concerning Civil Administration, Jurisdiction, and Relief Arising out of [Page 194] Operations in Greek Territory of a Military Force” of . . . . . . . (date) between the British Government and the Greek Government, but only for the purposes and to the extent specified in the preceding paragraph.

4. The Government of the United States would welcome an expression by the Greek Government of its acceptance of the principle of United States military participation in accordance with the foregoing, and agreement on the part of the Greek Government to accord to United States military personnel and United States nationals employed by or accompanying the military force, their property and that of the United States Government employed in furtherance of the purposes specified herein, all assistance, rights and tax and other immunities accorded to military forces and nationals of any country other than Greece in the aforesaid Memorandum of Agreement . . . . . . . (date), including the right of the United States to establish military courts which will have exclusive jurisdiction over such United States persons and property.”

Hull