Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The Near East and Africa, Volume V

501.BC Greece/5–347: Telegram

The Secretary of State to Mr. Mark F. Ethridge, at Geneva

secret
us urgent
niact

Washington , May 3, 1947—4 p. m.

288. For Ethridge. Following are Department’s views and queries on possible recommendations which we understand Commission discussing:

1. We agree entirely with views expressed first section your 48 April 28¹ re composition continuing commission and are making clear our position this point to Brit Emb. Although we prefer five or six member commission we would accept full eleven member commission if necessary to reach agreement SC.

2. Re amnesty section 3 your tel 48 April 28 Dept can not approve inclusion question of amnesty in Commission’s recommendations. While sharing your conviction that quick end to Greek internal strife is essential and desirable Dept prefers handling this matter in different way and is now actively considering what steps might be taken in this matter (Athens’ 606 April 30² repeated to you as Deptel 276).

3. Re question new Greek elections which Windle reported French Del proposing (paragraph 1 our 253 May 1). Dept unreservedly opposed to any recommendation by Commission with respect to Greek elections. In our view there is no more reason to be concerned with Greek than with Bulgarian elections.

4. Lawrence article NY Times April 29 reports US proposal for four-power Balkan pact supervised by UN. Dept would appreciate pertinent details from you on this point.

5. Greek Emb has again raised question of possible exchanges of populations.³ We do not know whether this matter actively considered by Commission. If so would appreciate pertinent details from you.

Marshall

1. Identified also as telegram 168 from Geneva, not printed; the first paragraph advised that Mr. Ethridge favored a commission of five or six men rather than a single commissioner (501.BC Greece/4–2847).
2. Ante, p. 158.
3. In a conversation on April 25 between the Greek Chargé, Paul Economou-Gouras, and Mr. Baxter; latter’s memorandum of conversation not printed (501.BC Greece/4–2547).