Cablegram 4, CANBERRA, 22 January 1948, 3 p.m.
IMMEDIATE SECRET
Your No.9.[1]
Glasheen has full instructions from the Minister and as far as possible you should await his arrival.
Our view remains that the Committee should make persistent efforts to carry out its functions. It would appear from the interim report of the 31st December (A/AC.16/53.Rev.1) that the Committee has done little more to assist in the establishment of normal relations than compile evidence of deterioration of relations. The attitude of the northern neighbours was known at the time of the Second Session of the General Assembly and cannot now be admitted as a reason for failure without strenuous efforts having been made to carry out the functions assigned by the General Assembly. In this connection see our No.2 paragraph 3[2], which still holds.
2. You might point out also that it is fallacious to argue [that] all other aspects of the Committee’s functions should be abandoned because difficulties are encountered in the implementation of any one of them. What action has been taken on the question of frontier conventions, minorities and refugees? These aspects of the Committee’s work on which there was previously a substantial degree of agreement , might well serve as a means of approach to Yugoslavia, Albania and Bulgaria.
3. We cannot agree, therefore, to the calling of a Special Session. The Committee does not exist to ‘permit return of proposed [Greek] police action against guerrillas’ and you should take the first opportunity of discounting this argument. An extension of the system of observers, which as at present interpreted differs in no way from investigation in our opinion holds no promise of a solution.
4. Basically, the solution of the question lies in the solution of Greece’s internal difficulties, and this cannot be achieved by suppression without accentuating support to opposition groups. (See our No.4 of December 23rd.) 5. Please advise developments urgently.
_[1] Cablegram 9 had been authorised by Ballard before his departure for Paris on 18 January 1948. Body was the officer in charge pending Glasheen’s arrival on 26 January 1948.
[2] Cablegram 2, dispatched 9 January 1948. Paragraph 3 advanced the view that the committee should bring all governments together, either directly or indirectly, and communicate with them to ascertain differences and endeavour to arbitrate.
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[AA : A1838, 852/20/1, II]