Editorial Note
The First Committee of the General Assembly began consideration of the Greek case on September 25. Ambassador Johnson, the same day, introduced the United States draft resolution; see United Nations, Official Records of the General Assembly, Second Session, First Committee, Summary Record of Meetings, 16 September–19 November 1947, pages 14, 591.
Paragraphs 3 and 4 of the draft resolution received extended discussion. They dealt with the responsibility of Greece’s northern neighbors for the situation in northern Greece and were sometimes referred to as the “guilt clause”. The French Delegation took the lead in softening such judgment and proposed, on September 29, the substitution of the following for the two paragraphs:
“Whereas the Commission of Investigation sent by the Security Council has found by a majority that Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia have given aid and assistance to the partisans fighting against the Greek Government;
“Calls upon Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia to do nothing which could furnish aid and assistance to the said partisans.” (ibid., page 597)
The United Kingdom Delegation, on October 8, proposed an amendment to the United States proposal, whose intent was the same as that of the French amendment, but with slightly different phraseology (ibid., page 600).
The language of the Franco-British amendments was decided on by the United States, French and British Delegations on October 10 (telegram 983, October 10, 12:21 a.m., from New York, 501.BC Greece/10–1047). Ambassador Johnson, the following day, stated to the First Committee that the United States, “in a spirit of conciliation”, would support the Franco-British amendments (GA (II), First Committee, [Page 889] page 108). Later the same day, the Committee adopted the United States resolution, as amended, by a vote of 38 to 6, with 10 abstentions (ibid., page 114). The text of the resolution as finally adopted is printed ibid., page 115.
Consideration of the Greek case began in the General Assembly on October 20, as the first order of business of the Second Session in connection with a security issue. Ambassador Johnson addressed the Assembly the same day, in support of the resolution adopted by the First Committee (GA (II), Plenary, volume I, page 401). The following day, the Assembly adopted the United States resolution, as amended, by 40 votes to 6, with 11 abstentions (ibid., pages 461, 462). For the official text of the resolution, numbered 109 (II), see United Nations, Official Records of the General Assembly, Second Session, Resolutions, 16 September–29 November 1947, page 12. It established a Special Committee (which became known as the United Nations Special Committee or UNSCOB) to observe the compliance of Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Yugoslavia with the recommendations of the resolution and to be available in implementing them.
President Truman appointed Admiral Alan G. Kirk United States Representative on the Special Committee and Gerald A. Drew Deputy Representative (circular telegram, November 5, 4 a.m., to 13 Missions, 501.BC Greece/11–547).
The Special Committee adopted its first interim report on December 31, 1947; for text, see United Nations document A/521, dated January 9, 1948. Excerpts of the report were included in Department of State, Documents & State Papers, September 1948, page 372.