768.75/10–2746: Telegram
The Ambassador in Greece (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 28—1 p.m.]
1468. On October 20 Assistant Military Attaché Miller accompanied by Lt. Glenn A. Rounsevell of Military Attaché’s staff completed week’s thorough reconnaissance of Greece’s frontier with Albania. They covered 300 miles by jeep, visited actual border at 12 points between Pirsoyianni and Capestilo, talked with soldiers, British liaison officers, clergy and civilians and interrogated captured bandit leaders.
On basis survey they are convinced that 30 to 40 attacks on Greek frontier outposts were launched by Albanian Armed Forces during first half 1946. Heavy attack on Greek’s Kipi outpost July 719 was followed by period of quiet (presumably timed to coincide with Security Council discussion and Paris Conference) but four new Albanian attacks have occurred during past 2 weeks.
No one to whom they talked had any knowledge of Greek attacks on Albanian outposts and they do not believe that more than 1 or 2 such incidents can have occurred during past year. Same Greek units have been on frontier for 18 months and check at numerous frontier posts of standing orders showed latter to be purely defensive.
[Page 247]Interrogation of Fotios Kontopanos (alias Anniba or Hannibal), bandit leader captured October 11, revealed him to be ex-ELAS officer who entered Yugoslavia after Varkiza. Kontopanos said that in fall 1945 all Greeks in Soviet Balkans sphere were placed in concentration camps, Greek Macedonians being sent to Skoplje and others to Boulkes north of Belgrade.
In these camps they were trained for future armed action within Greece by officials of Yugoslav and Soviet governments and KKE. Kontopanos group was addressed by Yugoslav Minister Education for Bukovina at Belgrade and by Zachariades Greek Communist leader, at Boulkes March 25, 1946. Beginning April 1946 Kontopanos continued, armed bands of these dissident Greeks were despatched into Greece with assistance Yugoslav and Albanian Governments, UNRRA supplies and equipment being used. Plan was to seize initially strip of mountainous territory within Greece extending from Albanian frontier near Nestorian to Mt. Olympus. (From personal observation and recent withdrawal 25 Greek gendarmerie posts, the two US observers consider this objective already practically accomplished.) Second phase of plan calls for reformation of old ELAS regiments, and for this purpose bands of dissident Greek officers, armed and provided with names of local KKE contacts, are infiltrated into Greece.
Miller and Rounsevell found no conclusive evidence that Albanian or Yugoslavian nationals are being despatched into Greece for partisan activity. Fully documented report including signed statements of persons interrogated, photographs, etc. is being forwarded.
From Greek sources local press has obtained and published some of the results of this survey which has caused Communist Rizospastis to comment angrily “It is unheard of that an officer of a foreign country should examine the frontier posts of an independent state or cross-examine Greeks in their own land.” The US officers concerned have not revealed any details of their mission to unauthorized persons.
Repeat to MID War Department. Sent Department as 1468 repeated Tirana and Belgrade.