Office of the Historian

CFM files, lot M–88, box 253

Memorandum by the Chargé in Canada (Bliss) to the Ambassador at Large (Jessup)
[Ottawa,] September 17, 1951.

Subject: Greek Representations

This morning the Greek Ambassador delivered to the Embassy the attached memorandum1 with a request that its contents be brought to the attention of the U.S. Delegation. The Ambassador also requested your advice as to whether or not he should present a similar memorandum to the delegations of the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Italy, Belgium and Iceland. He further asked for a copy of the resolution to be presented to the Council regarding the admission of Greece and Turkey.

After consultation with yourself, Mr. Perkins and Mr. McGhee this afternoon I informed the Greek Ambassador, on the authority of Mr. McGhee, that there is no occasion for concern on the part of Greece regarding the admission problem and that this memorandum raises a problem which in fact does not exist. While we feel that the delivery of the memorandum to the other countries listed would do no harm we feel that it is not really necessary. However, Mr. Perkins and Mr. McGhee felt that this Greek statement might help to reinforce our views, particularly with the United Kingdom. In the end the Ambassador stated that he would deliver the memorandum to the U.K. Delegation and not to the others. He also expressed great appreciation for the reassurances of Mr. McGhee.

In accordance with your observations on the drafting of the resolution I told the Ambassador that the United States Delegation had prepared a draft for internal delegation purposes and that nothing had occurred yesterday at the meetings between Foreign Ministers which produced any revisions in our draft. However, I declined to give him a copy of our resolution since it is for internal purposes only, and I told the Ambassador that the resolution actually to be presented to the Council will in fact be drafted by a committee appointed for the purpose. I think he would have liked to have a text to telegraph to Athens, but in the circumstances he must agree that it would serve no useful purpose.

  1. Not reproduced.↩