Office of the Historian

760H.68/7–2745

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Secretary of State

[Washington,] July 27, 1945.

The Greek Ambassador called on me this afternoon and said that he wished to discuss with me the matter about which he had talked with Mr. Henderson yesterday,51 namely, the Yugoslav note protesting against the alleged persecution of the Yugoslav “minority” in “Aegean Macedonia”. I said to the Ambassador that Mr. Henderson had reported to me his conversation fully and in detail, and that I had carefully studied the pertinent documents. The Ambassador said that he did not like to use strong language, but that the interference of the Yugoslav Government in Greek affairs was absolutely inadmissible, and that the use by the Yugoslav Government of the term “Aegean Macedonia” seemed especially significant and disturbing. The Ambassador said that he had been instructed to call on me and to ask my advice as to the position the Greek Government should take in this situation. A similar request was being addressed to the British Government and the Greek Foreign Minister had indicated that no answer would be made to the Yugoslav note until the advice of both the American and British Governments had been received.

I said to the Ambassador that I had referred this question to the Secretary of State in Potsdam52 as it might well be considered in connection with the discussion of similar problems which were likely to arise at that meeting, and that, in view of this action, I did not feel that for the present I should attempt to advise the Greek Government. I, therefore, hoped that the Ambassador would understand my withholding any comment for the present. The Ambassador said that he fully understood.

J[oseph] C. G[rew]
  1. For memorandum of conversations, actually held July 25, see Conference of Berlin (Potsdam), vol. ii, p. 1071.↩
  2. Reported in telegram 117, July 24, ibid., p. 1065; see ibid., p. 1073, for telegram Victory 392, July 28, from Babelsberg, Germany, in which the Secretary of State endorsed, with qualifications, certain proposals advanced by the Department in its telegram 117. The new policy was set forth in telegram 220, July 28, 10 p.m., to Belgrade, infra.↩