majority of the Atomic Energy Commission. By a vote of ten to one with no abstention, the Atomic Energy Commission has submitted to the Security Council an interim report defining in detail the functions, responsibilities, and limitations of an international agency for the control of atomic energy. The Soviet Union alone voted against this interim report. It has continued to urge prohibition before control is set up.

Effective control of atomic and other weapons of mass destruction is not served by the exhortation contained in paragraph 4 of the resolution before us. The proposed resolution speaks only of "the exclusion from national armaments of the atomic weapon and all other main types of armaments designed for mass destruction." It does not quote the remainder of the resolution of January 24, 1946, which requires "effective safeguards by way of inspection and other means to protect complying States against the hazards of violation and evasions."

Part 4 of the Soviet resolution asks this body to accept a principle which the preponderant majority of the Atomic Energy Commission, having worked on this problem for more than 15 months, long since rejected in toto. Yet, the Soviet Union would still have us say that a convention of prohibition is enough.

The majority of the Commission which has worked assiduously for these many months on the problem of atomic energy control knew that an exchange of pious promises not to use atomic weapons is of no value except as a part of a fully effective system of control. Without such control, no treaty would provide the security which the world demands. It would indeed be a fraud upon the peoples.

In seeking security, we are also working to reduce the burden of armaments by plan and agreement. We can do this by patient, detailed work in the Commission which has been set up for the purpose. The world wants collective security. The absence of collective security is a cause of fear. Slow progress to general disarmament casts doubt upon our ability to outlaw war. But it can be prepared for day by day in the Commission for Conventional Armaments, and can be finally realized when effective safeguards against the destructive use of atomic energy have been established, agreement reached on the shape and size of peace forces, and the peace settlements concluded.

The United States will continue its efforts to meet negative and obstructive diplomacy with a diplomacy that seeks the constructive solution. It is trying to cooperate in words and deeds in many constructive programs for peace, and it is willing that its words and deeds should be judged by its fellow Members of the United Nations. Cooperation in these practical programs by all the Members of the

United Nations would remove the causes of war, thereby eliminating the symptoms aimed at by the Soviet resolution.

Let us dissent to the resolution and get on with our work.

Threats to the Political Independence and Territorial Integrity of Greece

BY AMBASSADOR HERSCHEL V. JOHNSON

Before the First Committee of the General Assembly, September 25, 1947

Since the Government of the United States has placed the question with which we are dealing today on the agenda of the General Assembly, I would like to review very briefly the facts of the case as we see them and the reasons which have led us to the belief that the General Assembly should take action in support of the independence and integrity of Greece. I will not attempt at this stage to go into any detail, as many members of the Assembly are already familiar with the case before us, and those who are not will I am sure want to study the Security Council's records in order to form their own conclusions. The background of this case is briefly as follows:

On December 3, 1946, Greece complained to the Security Council that guerrillas in Greece defying the Greek Government were receiving support from Albania, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia.

On December 19, 1946, the Security Council by unanimous decision established an on-the-spot investigation commission to ascertain the facts relating to the alleged border violations along the frontier between Greece on the one hand, and Albania, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia on the other. The Commission was also invited to make proposals for averting a repetition of border violations and disturbances in these areas.

The Commission rendered a report to the Security Council on May 27, 1947, after four months of work. A majority of eight of the Commission's eleven members joined together in certain conclusions as to the facts. The sum and substance of their conclusions, in their own words is: "On the basis of the facts ascertained by the Commission it is its conclusion that Yugoslavia, and to a lesser extent Albania and Bulgaria, have supported the guerrilla warfare in Greece."

The Commission found that assistance by Yugoslavia to the guerrillas took the form of training refugees from Greece within the borders of Yugoslavia; recruiting and dispatching them to Greece for action with the guerrilla units there, as well as supplying them for this purpose with arms, supplies, transport, and guides, and providing an avenue of escape for guerrillas fleeing from the Greek Govern

ment forces. At a camp at Bulkes in Yugoslavia, a specialized course was established designed to give theoretical and practical training in guerrilla warfare. At this camp the refugees were subjected to political indoctrination and propaganda looking toward the overthrow of the Greek Government.

The Commission found that the Bulgarian Government provided aid to the Greek guerrilla movement, principally in the form of assistance in entering and leaving Bulgarian territory, in the provision of transportation for guerrillas crossing Bulgaria to and from Yugoslavia, and in hospitalization of guerrillas wounded in Greece. In certain instances Greek guerrillas were given arms in and near Sofia. Moreover the Commission found that Albania also had assisted the guerrillas. Prior to the establishment in the spring of 1946 of the course for guerrilla leaders in the camp at Bulkes in Yugoslavia, the Albanian Government had operated a camp at Rubig in which Greek refugees received political instruction as well as practical and theoretical military training. Albania had granted assistance to Greek guerrillas in the form of providing arms and ammunition as well as making available routes of entry, guides, and liaison assistance for guerrilla groups returning to Greece from Albania and Yugoslavia. The Commission also stated that "the Yugoslavian and Bulgarian Governments by speeches of responsible officials and articles in the press, have promoted a separatist movement among the Slav-Macedonians in Greece."

The conclusions of fact, which I have only outlined in the most general way, cover many pages of the Commission's report.

A majority of nine of the eleven members of the Commission agreed upon three kinds of proposals to the Security Council for the pacific settlement of the dispute. First, the Security Council would call upon the countries in question to refrain from the support of elements in neighboring countries aiming to overthrow their lawful governments. Secondly, the Security Council would call upon the four governments concerned to take certain action to rectify the situation to establish normal good-neighborly relations, to enter into conventions, providing effective machinery for the regulation and control of common frontiers, and providing for the control of refugees. Finally, the Security Council would establish a Commission in the area to investigate frontier violations and to use its good offices for the settlement of controversies and complaints having to do with the frontier, and to assist the governments concerned in carrying out the recommendations of the Security Council.

On June 27, 1947, the Representative of the United States proposed a resolution in the Security Council for the pacific settlement of the dispute along the lines recommended by the Commission. This reso

lution made no reference to the conclusions of the majority of the Commission regarding the support which Greece's northern neighbors were giving to guerrillas inside Greece. It was entirely neutral as between the parties and sought in the spirit of chapter VI of the Charter to alleviate the situation and eventually to restore it to normal. During the ensuing month the Council devoted nearly all of its time to this case, making all possible efforts to conciliate different points of view. On July 29, 1947, nine members of the Council voted for the United States resolution as amended during the course of its proceedings. This resolution, although supported by nine members, failed because of a Soviet veto.

The Soviet Representative proposed a resolution assigning entire responsibility to Greece, and recommending withdrawal of foreign troops and foreign military personnel from Greek soil and the estab lishment of a Commission to supervise foreign economic assistance extended to Greece. This resolution was voted on by the Security Council on August 4, 1947, and received two favorable votes. The Polish Representative then proposed a resolution containing recommendations to the parties concerned, similar to some of those contained in the United States resolution but omitting the essential provision for a commission. Since the majority of the Council was of the opinion that the maintenance of a United Nations organ in the area, to report on the facts to the United Nations and to the world and to act as mediator, was essential to a substantial alleviation of the situation, this resolution received only two favorable votes.

During these deliberations of the Security Council the Subsidiary Group of the Balkan Investigating Commission was carrying out an active program of on-the-spot investigation. This group was established by a decision of the Security Council on April 18, 1947, and granted authority to carry out its functions in the territory of the four states concerned. Albania, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia refused to permit the Subsidiary Group to perform its functions in their territories, and failed to cooperate with it-in spite of the fact that they were legally bound to do so.

It is clear from the reports of the Subsidiary Group that, subsequent to the period covered by the Balkan Commission's report, Albania, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia have actually increased their assistance to the Greek guerrillas. Evidence reported by the Subsidiary Group indicates that, in the Angistron Lipa incident on the GreekBulgarian frontier in April 1947, some 135 Greek guerrillas took refuge across the Bulgarian frontier, were taken to the "refugee" camp at Berkovitsa, and some time later, having been armed at the frontier, were returned to Greece. In the Metaxades incident in June, some 100 guerrillas crossed the Bulgarian frontier. In the Kouka-Palaion

Thiethnes incident of March 31-April 1, 1947, some 400 to 500 guerrillas crossed into Yugoslavia where they were sheltered, guarded, and supplied with food, arms, and ammunition for their return to Greece. While the Security Council of the United Nations was making every effort to conciliate the situation, a report of the Subsidiary Group indicated that in the Konitsa incident, July 11-13, some eight to nine guerrilla battalions, estimated as 1,000 men, after having been sheltered and supplied both in Yugoslavia and Albania, crossed the Albanian frontier in the Radat area to attack in the Prosilion region, were driven back into Albania, and crossed into Greece again for further action. In anticipation of continued activities such as I have just described, the Balkan Commission had recommended, in the light of the situation investigated, that in the area of its investigation future cases of support of armed bands formed on the territory of one state and crossing into the territory of another, or refusal by a government to take all possible measures to deprive such bands of any aid or protection, should be considered by the Security Council as a threat to the peace within the meaning of the Charter.

Having been unable to effect a pacific settlement of the case, and being faced with substantial evidence of continued foreign support to Greek guerrillas, the majority of the Council found it necessary to follow this recommendation of the Balkan Commission. Accordingly, on August 19, 1947, nine members of the Security Council voted in favor of a resolution proposed by Australia, determining that the situation on the northern borders of Greece constituted a threat to the peace, and calling upon the parties involved, namely Greece, Albania, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, to cease all acts of provocation, and setting up an observer group. This was vetoed.

These nine members then voted in favor of a resolution proposed by the United States which found that assistance and support to the guerrillas by Albania, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia constituted a threat to the peace, called upon Albania, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia to cease and desist from rendering any further assistance or support in any form to the guerrillas fighting against the Greek Government, and directed the Subsidiary Group of the Balkan Commission to report on compliance. This resolution was also vetoed.

After requesting the Secretary-General of the United Nations to place the Greek question on the agenda of the General Assembly, the United States proposed that the Security Council request the General Assembly to discuss the problem and make recommendations. This would have permitted the continued existence in the area of the Security Council's Investigation Group. Nine members of the Council voted for this resolution. However, it was also vetoed by the U.S.S.R.