768.75/7–846
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. William O. Baxter of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs
| Participants: | Mr. Gouras,31 Greek Chargé d’Affaires |
| Mr. Henderson (NEA) | |
| Mr. Baxter (NE) |
Mr. Gouras, Chargé of the Greek Embassy, called at his request to inform the Department, on instructions from the Greek Government, that on the night of July 7 a considerable force of Albanians had seized the Greek frontier post no. 13, wounding the commander and apparently abducting two of the garrison soldiers. During the time of the attack Greek frontier posts nos. 12 and 14 were under fire. A division of the Greek Army has been ordered to recapture the posts and drive the Albanians off Greek territory.
Mr. Gouras stressed the serious nature of this incident, pointing out that, though there have been slight disturbances on the Greek-Albanian frontier during the past few months, this is the first instance of Albanian penetration of Greek territory. Mr. Gouras expressed the hope that the Department would take the necessary steps with the Albanian Government in order to avert further developments of this nature.
Mr. Henderson assured Mr. Gouras that the Department would immediately forward this information to the American missions at Athens and Tirana with the request that they urgently report all pertinent information and that the substance of the Greek memorandum would be telegraphed at once to Paris for the attention of the Secretary.32