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

868.00/7–849: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Kirk)¹ to the Secretary of State

secret

Moscow, July 8, 1949—noon.

1701. Reference Sofia’s 473, June 10² to Dept and telegrams recently exchanged Athens and Dept on Greek question:

1. It is view this Embassy we should be prepared to stand our ground on basic principles which have hitherto governed US policy on Greek question and to treat any further informal Soviet overtures with caution and with knowledge such overtures probably designed to gain propaganda victories for Kremlin. At same time Embassy agrees fully with Sofia that any such Soviet proposals should be countered publicly with particular emphasis on contrast between what Soviets say should be done in Greece and actual political situation in satellite states.

2. Sofia’s suggestion regarding use of Greece as base for counter-offensive measures in Bulgaria and Albania falls within scope paragraph 12 Dept’s 359 May 20 to Moscow³ in which Dept mentions possibility projecting Western policy into Balkan area by psychological warfare, economic leverage and political activity.

3. “Fighting fire with fire” approach obviously would involve risk of weakening the clear cut moral and legal basis on which we have constructed Greek case in UN and of contributing to outbreak of full scale hostilities in Balkans and consequently elsewhere. This Embassy believes Sofia over sanguine regarding good prospects such action within satellite area under present circumstances and completely unconvinced “chain reaction” would infiltrate “within borders Soviet Russia.” Furthermore, evidence preparation by us of contemplated counter measures could rather than having a deterrent effect lead to intensification Soviet inspired aid to Greek guerrillas.

4. Foregoing considerations do not in Embassy view eliminate possibility exploiting domestic discontent Albania which taken together Tito situation may provide early opportunity for limited counter measures from Greek territory (Embtel 1031 June 27⁴).

5. Would suggest exploitation any such Albanian possibilities should be predicated appropriate Greek statement indicating Greece not seeking territorial aggrandizement especially in Epirus and should not be utilized until after Greek question has again been debated UNGA this fall so that Greece and her friends can rightly justify counter measures before world opinion on basis that all UN efforts for peaceful settlement have been fruitless. Thus believe any planning Balkan counter measures should be clearly coordinated with our approach to Greek question in forthcoming GA.

6. We note Paris CFM meeting avoided Grecian question.

Sent Dept 1701, repeated Athens 49, Belgrade 54, Sofia 31.

Kirk

1. Ambassador Alan G. Kirk arrived in Moscow on June 28 and presented his credentials as the new Ambassador in the Soviet Union on July 2.
2. Not printed.
3. Not printed; it transmitted the text of the paper prepared by the Department of State, included as Annex B to Rusk’s May 19 memorandum of his conversation with British Minister Hoyer Millar, p. 326.
4. Not printed. It reported that Yves Chataigneau, the French Ambassador in the Soviet Union, had been informed by the Yugoslav Ambassador that Marshal Tito was eager to end support of the Greek guerrillas but had been deterred by the outcry from his Macedonian Communist supporters. Chataigneau, an expert in Yugoslav matters, held the view that the West should render active support to the mounting feeling against the Hoxha regime in Albania and aim at a gradual Yugoslav-Greek-Albanian rapprochement. (760H.61/6–2749)