Office of the Historian

501.BB Balkan/4–848: Circular telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Offices 1

confidential
Washington, April 8, 1948—11 a. m.

Dept urgently examining measures to increase effectiveness UNSCOB (UN Special Committee on the Balkans) which we consider potentially most effective instrument for preserving territorial integrity of Greece. We consider next six or eight months highly [Page 242] important in determining length to which USSR and satellites prepared to go to bring Greece within Soviet orbit.

Dept gravely concerned by reports indicating foreign assistance to Greek guerrillas likely to increase. USDel UNSCOB reports four additional observer teams similar those described Depcirtel Oct 30, 19472 could be effectively employed. Dept instructing USDel raise urgently with UNSCOB question increase in number of teams.3

Pls inform FonOff of US determination to persist in efforts provide Greece adequate protection through UNSCOB and UN. In this connection we consider it imperative UNSCOB observe closely actual manner of compliance (or lack of compliance) with recommendations of GA resolution Oct 21, 1947 for, in event further deterioration situation northern Greece, any new remedies available to UN must be adapted to facts reported by UNSCOB. Pls request strong support FonOff and its UNSCOB representative for increase in number of teams and state we consider it essential each nation provide additional observers to staff new teams. In this connection Dept particularly eager for participation by Netherlands which has not provided any observers.

For your info US prepared lend UNSCOB necessary eqpt implement additional teams on same basis as US eqpt presently on loan to UNSCOB. Therefore no expense involved to UNSCOB nations except cost providing and maintaining observer personnel.

Rpt replies to Salonika for BalCom.

Lovett
  1. At London, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Karachi, The Hague and Nanking, for action. It was repeated also to Salonika as Balcom 140, for information.↩
  2. Not printed.↩

  3. The Department, on April 7, advised Mr. Drew, at Salonika, of receipt of a favorable reply from the Department of Defense regarding personnel and equipment for four additional observer teams and authorized him to raise with UNSCOB the subject of four additional teams, to be equipped on the same loan basis as the present teams (telegram 89 to Salonika, identified also as Balcom 135, 501.BB Balkan/4–748).

    In a letter of May 27 to Secretary Forrestal, Acting Secretary Lovett stated: “On May 19 we received word from Salonika that UNSCOB had formally approved a plan to increase the activities of the observer groups.” (501.BB Balkan/5–2748)

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