C.P.(Gen)Doc.1.J.23.
Article 14
The provisions of Article 14 as it now stands are unfair to Greece, since the Bulgarian armed forces are allowed to retain the war material—including Greek war material—at present in their possession and are obliged to return only such material as they themselves deem to be in excess of requirements.
The Greek Delegation, therefore, submits that the Article in question should definitely provide for total restitution of war material belonging to the Greek Army and taken by the Bulgarians.
Similarly, the Greek Delegation considers that, as a large proportion of Greek war material was destroyed in the course of operations, part of the surplus Bulgarian material should be handed over to Greece. This, added to the war material claimed from other ex-enemy countries, would enable Greece to reconstitute her pre-war military equipment.
Article 14 should likewise define the war material intended for the Bulgarian forces by stipulating that within six months Bulgaria must submit a list of surplus war material, as provided in the case of Italy.
The Greek Delegation, therefore, proposes to add two new paragraphs (3 and 4) to Article 14, which would then read as follows:
- 1.
- Paragraph 1 of Article 14;
- 2.
- Paragraph 2 of Article 14;
- 3
- (new). “It is, nevertheless, specified that the provisions of
paragraphs 1 and 2 above do not apply to the aggregate of Greek
war material, whatever the manner in which it was acquired by
Bulgaria. Bulgaria undertakes to restore to Greece within six
months all Greek war material, howsoever acquired. A list of
such material is appended in Annex …
“If the material in question cannot be traced, Bulgaria undertakes, before carrying out the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 above, to hand over an equivalent proportion, taken from similar equipment in her possession and selected by the Greek Government, in perfect repair and at a place to be determined by the Government”.
- 4
- (new). “Excess war material mentioned in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall be handed over or destroyed by the Allied Powers mentioned in paragraph 2 within one year of the coming into force of the present Treaty. An Inter-Allied Commission consisting of the Powers mentioned in paragraph 2 and also including Greece, convened within one month of the coming into force of the present Treaty, shall determine the amount of war material to be handed over to Greece, at her choice, to reconstitute her pre-war military equipment.”
- 5.
- (new). “Bulgaria undertakes to submit a list of excess war material to the Governments of the U.S.S.R., U.K., U.S.A. and Greece, within six months of the coming into force of the present Treaty.”
- 6.
- (new). “In order to form an estimate of the war material which the Bulgarian armed forces are authorised to retain under the present Treaty, a chart is appended in Annex 3A (following Annex 3).”
- 7.
- Paragraph 4 of Article 14.