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

501.BB Balkan/7–1249: Telegram

The United States Representative on the United Nations Special Committee on the Balkans (Drew) to the Secretary of State

confidential

Athens, July 12, 1949—4 p. m.

1335. Combal 450. From Drew. While this delegation would be first to welcome solid evidence that Yugoslavia had in fact ceased aid to guerrillas, we feel that this has not yet happened. We are consequently at loss to understand statement in infotel of 29 June¹ attributed to Belgrade that “most UN observers do not believe that Yugoslavia is now assisting Greek guerrillas.” Increasingly frequent press statements from American and other sources along same lines suggests danger that element of wishful thinking may be influencing our evaluation of situation.

In first place I doubt we will ever be able to state that aid ceased on any given date. Rather will a twilight zone develop, in which central Yugoslav authorities have ordered aid stopped, but border police unwilling or unable give effect to such orders. We may well have already entered such period. However, until I report otherwise, stand by my statement based on first-hand observation and inquiry on spot in Combal 428 May 25² that we had formed definite conclusion that Yugoslav aid has not stopped, but only been channeled and placed under strict control. See also UN press release of 29 June Bal 513 summarizing Greek letter to UNSCOB of 16 June—A/AC.16/746 on subject.³ The report of OG.3 for period May 15 to 31 (A/AC.16/SC.1/OG.3/32⁴) gives on page 11 group’s opinion that “the large group of guerrillas located in the western belles [Pella?] could not exist in that area without supplies from Yugoslavia or from Bulgaria through Yugoslavia.” Further “increased mining mentioned in the body of the report could not be carried out without a steady supply of mines from Yugoslavia or through Yugoslavia” and finally that “it is the group’s opinion the attitude of Yugoslavia is still unknown. However, if Yugoslav assistance to guerrillas has not increased since 27 November, 1948, it has not decreased materially either, and it is now furnished in a less open fashion.”

While it is true that recent decrease in volume of reports of Yugoslav aid constitutes negative evidence that material aid has fallen off as far as aware no UNSCOB observer has reported that Yugoslav aid has ceased. UK delegation informs me it has never so reported to London.

Regarding political relations between Yugoslavia and guerrillas, attention invited to guerrilla radio broadcast of July 7 containing blast by “Communist Organization of Aegean Macedonia” against Tito clique and broadcast of 6 July alleging that following meeting between Greek and Yugoslav military attended by British and American Monarcho-Fascists officers and GNA is using Yugoslav territory against guerrillas.⁵ These statements may be of great significance and presage final break between Yugoslavia and guerrillas.

While realizing that we may not know all facts involved, we are of course aware of great importance of information on status of Yugoslav aid to guerrillas and will not fail to keep Department fully and promptly informed of all developments coming to our knowledge.

Sent Department 1335, repeated Belgrade 55.

[

Drew

]

1. The circular information telegram under reference and quoted here repeated the substance of telegram 618, June 24, from Belgrade, which had commented upon the implications of the United Kingdom decision to extend credits to Yugoslavia. For text of telegram 618, see vol. v, p. 903.
2. Not printed; Drew commented upon the results of his late-May tour of the Yugoslav-Greek frontier in telegram 1026, Combal 431, May 25, from Athens, p. 339.
3. The Greek communication under reference denied that the Yugoslav attitude toward Greece had changed or that Yugoslav aid to the Greek guerrillas had decreased.
4. The document cited here is one of the reports of an observation group of the U.N. Special Committee on the Balkans.
5. Telegram 1364, July 14, from Athens, not printed, reported that Greek and Yugoslav military officers held a scheduled meeting on the Greek-Yugoslav frontier on July 11 to discuss a Yugoslav complaint that a Greek military aircraft had attacked the Yugoslav village of Skočivir. The meeting, while friendly, had no concrete result. No American or British officers were present. (760H.68/7–1449)