868.014/12–1446: Telegram
The Ambassador in Greece (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 16—12:53 p.m.]
1719. Acting Minister Foreign Affairs Stephanopoulos handed me yesterday first person note67 protesting with “vigor” and “deep bitterness” CFM decision fixing Bulgarian Greek frontier and contrasting “flagrant injustice” towards Greece, a faithful ally, with “compensation of Bulgaria for its disloyal policy during war”.
Note recalls Tsaldaris letter of October to CFM68 reducing Greek claim against Bulgaria to area of 875 Kms with 45,000 inhabitants. This it says while constituting “only very limited satisfaction of Greece’s legitimate security demands against Bulgaria would have involved only unimportant sacrifices for latter amply compensated moreover by acquisition of Southern Dobrudja—with 7500 sq Kms and 365,000 inhabitants”.
Note maintains that decision far from bringing desired Balkan appeasement exasperates Greek people and will encourage Bulgarian aggressive policy as proved already by Dimitrov’s69 maintenance of “inadmissible demand” for western Thrace and recrudescence activity bandits based in Bulgaria. “Iniquitous decision” rendered still more painful note continues because Greeks not heard again by CFM despite expressed demand and “new and serious aspects” of situation arising from bandit infiltration.
Note finally says partial demilitarization Bulgarian side frontier will constitute “no appreciable guarantee of Greek security in absence effective supervision” and concludes with requests that protest be urgently transmitted by me to US Government and that CFM again examine question and hear Greek Government representative. Full text of note being forwarded by despatch.
Stephanopoulos delivered similar notes to British and French Embassies and Russian Chargé. In conversation with me he voluntarily expressed his awareness that protest can now have little practical effect but called it necessary for the record.
He requests MID be informed.
- Dated December 12, not printed.↩
- Reference is to note 5834, October 30, from Ambassador Diamantopoulos to the Secretary General of the Council of Foreign Ministers, vol. ii, p. 956.↩
- Georgi Mihailov Dimitrov, Bulgarian Prime Minister.↩