Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, Volume VI

501.BB Balkan/4–2049

Memorandum of Conversation, by Messrs. Harry N. Howard and Leonard J. Cromie of the Division of Greek, Turkish, and Iranian Affairs

confidential

[Washington,] April 20, 1949.

Participants:	Mr. Paul Economou-Gouras, Counselor, Greek Embassy
	Mr. William O. Baxter, GTI
	Mr. Leonard Cromie, GTI
	Mr. Harry N. Howard, GTI
	Mr. Philip A. Mangano,1 UNP

Mr. Gouras called to discuss the Evatt “conciliatory” talks in New York since, he indicated, his Government was somewhat concerned as to possible developments. He had understood that at a meeting yesterday, Ambassador Sarper and Mr. van Langenhove, members of the Evatt “conciliatory” committee,² had expressed their view that, in view of the delicate and complicated issues involved, the time was not suitable for a renewal of the effort to “conciliate” between Greece and its northern neighbors. Dr. Evatt, however, had insisted on his “mandate” from the General Assembly last November, and it was finally agreed that he should see the Representatives of Albania, Bulgaria, Greece and Yugoslavia individually concerning the problems at issue. Mr. Gouras indicated that an Albanian representative³ had now arrived in New York, the Bulgarian representative, Professor Vladiguerov,⁴ having arrived somewhat earlier, and wondered whether it might not be desirable to have Mr. Pipinelis, Under-Secretary in the Greek Foreign Ministry, come to New York, since he had taken part in the discussions in Paris. It was agreed, however, that, with Mr. Kyrou and Ambassador Dendramis in New York, it did not seem necessary to have Mr. Pipinelis there. His presence might, indeed, have the undesirable effect of appearing to lend added importance to the talks. Were Mr. Pipinelis to remain at home, moreover, it would put the Greek delegates in a better position to cope with surprise developments since they could argue the need for referring them to Athens.

Since Mr. Gouras desired some guidance as to our attitude in the matter of the talks, it was suggested that the Greek Representative should listen to any proposals Dr. Evatt might have to make and indicate that the Greek Government had always sought normal relations with the northern neighbors of Greece, that it had no territorial claims with respect to Bulgaria or Yugoslavia, and that its well-known claim to Northern Epirus had been placed before the appropriate international tribunal, the Council of Foreign Ministers. It was also suggested that Dr. Evatt’s attention might be called to the delicate Yugoslav situation, to the newly reemphasized Bulgarian and Yugoslav aspirations toward Greek Macedonia and to the persistent Bulgarian claim to Western Thrace. Nevertheless, the favorable Greek attitude toward the establishment of “frontier commissions” and toward the renewal of, or revision of, frontier conventions might be indicated. Finally, it was thought that Dr. Evatt’s attention might be called to the “conciliatory” functions of UNSCOB, a continuing organ of the General Assembly, and to the fact that these functions had been strengthened by the acceptance of Australian amendments to the original joint four-Power proposal. In case Dr. Evatt decided, as the current session of the General Assembly drew to a close, to make a “report” to the Political Committee on the conciliation talks, it would be desirable that the Committee should confine itself to referring this report to UNSCOB for the background guidance of this competent UN body in connection with future conciliation efforts at a more propitious moment.

1. Assistant on International Organization Affairs, Division of United Nations Political Affairs.
2. The Conciliation Committee was composed of Dr. Evatt, United Nations Secretary-General Trygve Lie, Ambassador Fernand van Langenhove (Belgian Permanent Representative to the United Nations), and Ambassador Selim Sarper (Turkish Permanent Representative to the United Nations). The Conciliation Committee held its first meeting in New York on April 19. The Committee met with the Greek, Yugoslav, Bulgarian, and Albanian representatives for the first time on April 21. Other meetings followed.
3. Behar Shtylla, Albanian Minister in France.
4. Dr. Todor Vladiguerov, Bulgarian Minister in France.