Office of the Historian

CFM Files

United States Delegation Journal

September 24, 1946, 10 a.m.

USDel (PC) (Journal) 51

M. Voina (Ukraine) took up discussion of the Greek amendment (CP Gen Doc. 1 J 21) to Article 9 of the Bulgarian Treaty where the discussion had ended at the previous meeting. He repeated with some changes the arguments previously set forth by the Soviet Delegation against the amendment. General Slavin carried on the argument with a long speech and was followed by the Polish Delegate. General Balmer moved a closure of the debate and a vote. General Pika (Czechoslovakia) and Admiral Manola (Yugoslavia) opposed the closure as did General Slavin. General Slavin made a formal proposal that a vote not be taken on the U.S. closure motion. This proposal was voted down 13 to 7 with Norway abstaining, and the closure was voted 11 to 9, Norway abstaining.

The Chairman then proposed a vote on the Greek amendment but the Byelorussian Delegate and General Slavin said they wanted clarification on the amendment before voting. General Pika suggested that the Greeks present a final text of their amendment at the [Page 535] following meeting and Admiral Manola proposed an amendment to the Greek amendment. This delaying process went on for some time and General Balmer stated that this was a deliberate filibuster and called for an immediate vote. The Czech proposal was voted down 12 to 8, Norway abstaining. The Yugoslav amendment30 was voted down 11 to 4 with six abstentions, and the Greek amendment was adopted 11 to 7 with 3 abstentions. General Slavin drew the attention of the Commission to the fact that the vote did not represent the will of the Commission as there had not been a two-thirds majority, and pointed out that the countries which had voted for the Greek amendment were countries far removed from the territory affected. The meeting adjourned at 2:32 p.m.

  1. The Yugoslav amendment was actually a sub-amendment which proposed that the fortification restrictions of the Greek amendment apply only within five kilometers of the border. (CFM Files: United States Delegation Minutes).↩