U.S. POLICY IN GREECE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25303, 1 October 1947, Page 7

U.S. POLICY IN GREECE

Reply To Soviet Charges DEBATE IN U.N. COMMITTEE (N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 29. A strong protest against “persistent, gross Soviet calumnies” on the Truman Doctrine in Greece was made in the Political Committee of the United Nations General Assembly to-day by Mr Herschel Johnson (United States). He said frankly that the United States* objective was to prevent the imposition of the Communist economic system in Greece. “I can understand why the Soviet Union is disturbed by our action in Greece,” he added, “but I ask why the Greek people should suffer because the Soviet cannot impose its system in their country,” The principal United States motive in Greece was the development of an economic policy which it considered sound.

Mr Johnson joined Mr Hector McNeil (Britain) in accusing the Soviet and its satellites of trying deliberately to sidetrack the United Nations with irrelevant accusations. Mr McNeil had said it was beyond doubt that Greece was threatened from outside, and that active assistance was given to the guerrillas by Greece’s three northern neighbours. Mr Johnson promised to provide the Assembly with 'every detail of the American programme of aid to Greece. The committee was debating the United States resolution declaring Jugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Albania guilty of aggression against Greece and seeking the establishment of a special United Nations Commission to watch the Balkan situation. French Resolation Mr Yvon Delbos (France) submitted a modified resolution which simply asked Greece’s northern neighbours not to help the guerrillas, but which included the American plan for a Balkan commission. He said that there was no evidence to support the charges that Greece’s neighbours were guilty of aggression.

Mr K. V. Kiselev (Byelorussia) charged the United States with “full responsibility for fanning the embers of civil war in Greece.” The Greek Foreign Minister (Mr Tsaldaris) opened to-day’s debate by saying that 300,009,000 dollars’ American aid to Greece would fail in its purpose unless the attacks by guerrillas stopped. These attacks had increased since the withdrawal of the Security Council’s Balkans Commission. *

Mr Tsaldaris said that the British troops in Greece were a necessary bulwark of Greek liberty, and were there at the earnest prayer of the l Greek people. The*Greek Government, he added, respected the United Nations, and would carry out whatever was wanted. Greece wanted to co-operate, and he claimed that the United Nations was entitled to similar declarations from Bulgaria, Albania, and Jugoslavia. Each day that a settlement was delayed meant that thousands more were threatened with death or destruction.