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

501.BB Balkan/6–1749

Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Leonard J. Cromie of the Division of Greek, Turkish, and Iranian Affairs

secret

[Washington,] June 17, 1949.

Participants:	Sir Derick Hoyer Millar, British Minister
	Lord Jellicoe, Second Secretary, British Embassy
	Mr. Jean-Claude Winckler, Second Secretary, French Embassy
	Mr. Gerald A. Drew, United States Representative, UNSCOB
	Mr. Leonard J. Cromie, GTI

The meeting was held at 10:30 a. m. in Mr. Cromie’s office to discuss the forthcoming UNSCOB report to the Fourth General Assembly and related matters.¹

Mr. Drew outlined the Department’s preliminary thinking as it had emerged during his consultations in Washington since June 7 and as set forth in the Department’s draft memorandum² to him, which was still subject to the approval of Messrs. Rusk and McGhee.³ Mr. Cromie promised that he would transmit copies of this memorandum to the British and French Embassies as soon as final clearance was obtained.

The conversation then turned to a memorandum on Greek matters prepared by the British Foreign Office to be handed to Secretary Acheson in Paris by Mr. Bevin subject to the latter’s concurrence. (The memorandum constitutes a British commentary on Mr. Acheson’s memorandum to Mr. Bevin on June 7, based on Telac 51, June 3, to Paris. Copies of both memoranda are attached.⁴) The substantial concurrence of British and American views with regard to Greek internal matters, especially the undesirability of pressing the Greeks to accept international supervision of amnesty and elections and the re-legalization of the Communist Party, was noted. Commenting on the main British proposal that UNSCOB should recommend that its conciliation functions be turned over to an individual conciliator and that it continue its observations functions on a reduced basis, Mr. Drew pointed out that this was a proposal which had been under consideration for some time—the principal personalities suggested for conciliator being Mr. MacKenzie King,⁵ Mr. Herriot,⁶ or Marshal Smuts.⁷ He felt that while the idea had merit, UNSCOB should beware of divesting itself entirely of the conciliation function though it might suspend this function at any time, as it had during the period of the Evatt talks, if the General Assembly, on its own initiative, were to appoint an individual conciliator. If UNSCOB were to abandon the conciliation function indefinitely, however, it would be inviting its own demise, for administration of the observation function alone would not require the continued existence of UNSCOB. He also thought that any reduction in UNSCOB membership would be impractical. The Big Four would certainly wish to continue their membership, and yet it was desirable that small Powers constitute the majority of members. This required at least nine participating members, which was the present number. On balance, he thought that this proposed British recommendation should not be made by UNSCOB in its report to the GA, but might well be borne in mind as a possible useful course of action to be initiated by the GA itself depending on the atmosphere and developments at the Fall session.

The British and French representatives said that they would report these views to their respective Foreign Offices. Sir Derick suggested that to avoid the present confusion, where Greek matters are being discussed between the Big Three Powers more or less simultaneously at Washington, Paris, London and Athens, future discussions have as their focal point, so far as feasible, the respective UNSCOB delegations in Athens. This was generally agreed. Mr. Winckler emphasized, throughout the conversation, Mr. Schuman’s view that there should be no discussion with the Russians of Greek internal affairs.

[Here follows a discussion of the suggestion by the Greek Government that the problem of Greek refugees be inscribed on the agenda of the United Nations Economic and Social Council at its July meeting. The United States, the United Kingdom, and France were agreed that such an agenda item would be ill-advised. At the beginning of July the Greek Government withdrew its proposal.]

1. A regular report by the U.N. Special Committee on the Balkans was supposed to be placed in the hands of United Nations members at least 30 days before the Fourth Regular Session of the U.N. General Assembly scheduled to convene on September 20.
2. The memorandum under reference here is not printed.
3. In late May 1949 Dean Rusk became Deputy Under Secretary of State, and in early June George C. McGhee became Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and African Affairs.
4. Neither of the memoranda under reference here is printed. For the text of Telac 51, see p. 351.
5. William Lyon Mackenzie King, former Canadian Prime Minister.
6. Edouard Herriot, former French Prime Minister.
7. Field Marshal Jan Christiaan Smuts, former Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa.