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

501.BB Balkan/9–1549: Telegram

The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Holmes) to the Secretary of State

secret
priority

London, September 15, 1949—4 p. m.

3715. Supplementing Embtel 3682, September 13¹ reporting UK Foreign Office reaction to Balcom 301, Rumbold states British Ambassador Athens being instructed in substance as follows:

He should discuss with Grady and has authority to join him in offering advice to Greek Government along lines suggested in our points 1, 2 and 7, although advanced state of Greek Government amnesty plans may make point 1 redundant. As regards observation and advisory assistance of UN (point 3), he is instructed UK would prefer omit this since Greeks would no doubt welcome rehabilitation assistance providing Soviets did not participate in administering it but UK hesitates to advise Greeks to ask for such assistance unless UK is prepared to join in giving it. (Foreign Office interprets rehabilitation as meaning economic assistance.) As to elections (our points 4 and 5), he is instructed that inasmuch as Greek Prime Minister is reported believing elections could take place beginning of 1950, this is probably as far as Greek Government could be expected to commit themselves at present. UK Foreign Office objections to idea of plebiscite on re-legalization of Communist Party have been repeatedly mentioned in telegrams to Washington and Grady does not like idea either. Re international supervision elections, UK Foreign Office under impression Department agreed this was to be resisted and is therefore puzzled at Department’s apparent modification of view. Re point 6, UK cannot foresee type of frontier commission which will emerge from discussions in GA. Consequently Greeks should not be pressed to commit themselves in advance on something unseen. End of instructions to British Ambassador Athens which was repeated to Washington, UK delegation New York and Belgrade.

Rumbold commented further upon vagueness of references to “conciliatory group”. He again expressed opinion it should not be Four-Powered group or otherwise be participated in by Soviets but suggested it should include some officers of GA friendly to Western Powers, possibly headed by Eomulo² and Pearson,³ and should preferably not include representatives great powers as such. Embassy strongly concurs that such group should be formed under UN auspices at earliest opportunity to formalize end of Greek guerrilla war and should not include members from Soviet or satellite countries. Sent Department 3715; repeated Paris 705, Athens 58.

Holmes

1. Not printed; it reported some tentative initial British Foreign Office reactions to the proposals set forth in telegram 1503, Balcom 301, September 10, to Athens, p. 409 (501.BB Balkan/9–1349).
2. Brig. Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations; President of the Fourth Session of the U.N. General Assembly.
3. Lester B. Pearson, Canadian Secretary of State for External Affairs; Canadian Representative to the Fourth Session of the U.N. General Assembly and Chairman of the Assembly’s First (Political and Security) Committee.