Cablegram UN728 NEW YORK, 5 August 1947, 8.26 p.m.
MOST IMMEDIATE SECRET
Security 431.
GREECE
Your 430.
1. I [1] saw Gromyko today and put forward suggestions contained in your paragraph 5. I emphasised point that in view of apparent irreconcilable points of view, no resolution or action supported by either the United States or U.S.S.R. appeared acceptable. The Council could not in consequence wash its hands of the affair and declare its impotence. I also emphasised points about avoiding any decision on merits of case and not apportioning blame to anyone.
2. He made it clear at once that Soviet position expressed in minority chapters of Commission’s report and in Soviet Resolution Doc. S/404 was unchanged. He was prepared to accept resolution containing determination that situation in Greece constitutes threat to the peace under Article 39, but only provided resolution stated that Greek Government was responsible and was sole cause of that threat. He would also agree that resolution should call on all four Governments to refrain from hostile acts but could not agree to border observers which he said was infringement of sovereignty.
3. In other words Soviet adheres to view that Greek Government supported by other powers is solely responsible for the present situation, that if there are hostile actions they are caused by Greece. He said any finding under 39 which did not clearly state that Greece was responsible would be quite unacceptable as a basis for agreement.
4. In response to my reflection that I hoped he had some alternative in mind he replied there was his own proposal and this should be acceptable if the Council were authorized to face squarely up to the true facts.
5. I fear that further approach along these lines will be fruitless as obviously Gromyko cannot depart from his instructions. However, I think it is worth drafting a concrete proposal and approaching the United Kingdom and United States on it. It is at least an attempt to do something. The approach vide no Greek letter [2] is useless as it will only give rise to new recriminations. During part of afternoon session devoted to Greek question Gromyko also made clear that he regarded Colombian proposals as identical in principle with United States. We shall, therefore, have draft resolution ready to submit tomorrow afternoon in case you tell us to go ahead.
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1 The author was perhaps Hood, now in New York, or Hodgson.
2 Possibly a reference, garbled in transmission, to a Greek letter to the Acting Secretary-General a few days earlier, complaining of further border violations, and urging that the Security Council call upon the parties to comply with their obligations under the Charter.
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[AA : A1838, 854/10/7, ii]