BALKANS DEBATE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26584, 6 October 1947, Page 5

BALKANS DEBATE

STORMY SCENES IN UNITED NATIONS FOREIGN AID TO GREECE Rec. 8 p.m. NEW YORK, Oct. 3. A long, vehement spate by Mr Manuilsky (Ukraine) marked the opening of the Assembly’s Political Committee’s general debate on the Balkans question to-day. Mr Manuilsky attacked the British and the United States for “ illegal intervention ” in Greece, saying the Assembly should: First, order the immediate withdrawal of foreign troops from Greece; secondly, forbid any Government sending military aid to Greece; and thirdly, give the Greek people an opportunity to solve their own problems without foreign interference. Sir Carl Berendsen (New Zealand) emphasised that. Soviet vetoes had frustrated United Nations action in Greece, and he strongly supported the United States resolution which declares Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Albania guilty of aggression and establishes a special United .Nations Commission to watch the Balkans situation. Mr Paul Henri Spaak (Belgium) said there was nothing to suoport the charge that the presence of British troops in Greece constituted a threat to international peace. United States inter* vention, while it might not be the best

political method, had resulted in the establishment of a more liberal Government in Greece. The report of the "United Nations Balkans Commission was undoubtedly impartial, and its critics were simply trying to reverse the reports and findings completely. He assailed as “shocking” the refusal of Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Albania to co-operate fully with the commission. At this point, Dr Ales Zebler (Yugoslavia) interrupted Mr Spaak by shouting, “It’s libel and calumny.” Mr Spaak retored: “If you say this is slander then you say the investigators are liars.” Dr Zebler said the United Nations Commission was “ composed of petty civil servants who needed money for their families and therefore obeyed their government.”' Such exchanges are rare in tne United Nations, where it is customary to hear speeches in silence. The chairman, Mr Joseph Beech (Luxembourg) banged his gavel for silence, and Mr Spaak continued his speech, saying he did not favour the section of the United States resolution finding Greece’s, northern neighbours guilty of helping the guerrillas. He supported the French amendment which simply calls on the countries concerned not to help the guerrillas. Sir Carl Berendsen told the committee that the Security Council as now constituted and with present voting procedure, was unable to cope with the sorry situation in Greece. However, its lamentable failure" was no reason for assuming the Assembly should fail. On the contrary, it was a conclusive and compelling reason why the Assembly must take responsibility for solving the-question. It was clear from the impassioned words heard by the committee that both sides were convinced that' a potential threat to peace existed. The only disagreement was over which side represented the threat. It was plain that neither the committee nor the Assembly could examine the dispute at first hand, and it was therefore essential that the Assembly should establish a subsidiary body to investigate. For that reason New Zealand would naturally support the United States resolution providing for the establishment of such a body.