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

501.BC Greece/9–2347: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Acting Secretary of State

confidential

New York, September 23, 1947—10 p. m.

868. Following is text of draft resolution on Greek case which will be presented to [by] United States Delegation to General Assembly for consideration tomorrow morning, September 24:¹

“Whereas

“The peoples of the United Nations have expressed in the Charter of the United Nations their determination to practice tolerance and to live together in peace with one another as good neighbors and to unite their strength to maintain international peace and security; and to that end the members of the United Nations have obligated themselves to carry out the purposes and principles of the Charter;

“The General Assembly of the United Nations having considered the record of the Security Council proceedings in connection with the complaint of the Greek Government of December 3, 1946, including the report submitted by the Commission of Investigation established by the Security Council resolution of December 19, 1946, and information supplied by the subsidiary group of the Commission of Investigation subsequent to the report of the Commission:

“Finds that Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia, in contravention of principles of the Charter of the United Nations, have given assistance and support to the guerrillas fighting against the Greek Government;

“Calls upon Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia to cease and desist from rendering any further assistance or support in any form to the guerrillas fighting against the Greek Government;

“Calls upon Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia on the one hand and Greece on the other to cooperate in the settlement of their disputes by peaceful means, and to that end recommends:

• “(1) That they establish normal diplomatic and good neighborly relations among themselves as soon as possible;
• “(2) That they establish frontier conventions providing for effective machinery for the regulation and control of their common frontiers and for the pacific settlement of frontier incidents and disputes;
• “(3) That they cooperate in the settlement of the problems arising out of the presence of refugees in the four states concerned through voluntary repatriation wherever possible and that they take effective measures to prevent the participation of such refugees in political or military activity;
• “(4) That they study the practicability of concluding agreements for the voluntary transfer of minorities;

“Establishes a special committee:

• “(1) To observe the compliance by the four governments concerned with the foregoing recommendations;
• “(2) To be available to assist the four governments concerned in the implementation of such recommendations;

“Recommends that the four governments concerned cooperate with the special committee in enabling it to carry out these functions;

“Authorizes the special committee, if in its opinion further consideration of the subject matter of this resolution by the General Assembly prior to its next regular session is necessary for the maintenance of international peace and security, to recommend to the members of the United Nations that a special session of the General Assembly be convoked as a matter of urgency.”

Note: A member of the delegation has suggested that the balance of the resolution be incorporated in an annex. In such event the following language might appropriately be inserted here: “The composition and additional terms of reference of the special committee are set forth in the annex of this resolution.”

“The special committee shall consist of representatives of——

“The special committee shall have its principal headquarters in Salonika and with the cooperation of the four governments concerned shall perform its functions in such places and in the territories of the four states concerned as it may deem appropriate.

“The special committee shall render a report to the next regular session of the General Assembly and to any prior special session which might be called to consider the subject matter of this resolution; and shall render such interim reports as it may deem appropriate to the Secretary General for transmission to the members of the organization. In any reports to the General Assembly the special committee may make such recommendations to the General Assembly as it deems fit.

“The special committee shall determine its own procedure.

“The General Assembly requests the Secretary General to assign to the special committee staff adequate to enable it to perform its duties, and to enter into a standing arrangement with each of the four governments concerned to assure the committee, so far as it may find it necessary to exercise its functions within their territories, of full freedom of movement, and all necessary facilities for the performance of its functions.

“The special committee shall commence its work as soon as practicable after ______, 1947. It shall remain in existence pending a new decision of the General Assembly.”

Marshall

1. In telegram 835, September 14, from New York, the Secretary of State had informed President Truman of the nature of this resolution, calling special attention to the proposed creation of a special committee of the General Assembly and its functions (501.BB/9–1447).