Evening star., 1947-08-20
Lie eTakes Issue
With Sovieton
Balkan Group
Commission Will Not
Be Disbunded Until
U. N. Acts, He>Soys
BY the Associated Press

LAKE SUCCESS, Aug. 90
Trygve Lie, secretary general OF
the United Nations, took sharp
issue today with a Russian con-
tention that the Balkan Investi-
eating Commission and its sub
sidiary group in Greece we're
"liquidated" now.
In reply to reports that Russia
and Poland might withdraw from
both the Balkan commission and
the subsidiary group, Mr.. Lie told
a news conference that he had no
intention of disbanding these bodies
unless the Security Council specific
ally orders such action.
Mr.. Lie supported the position of
the Council majority, led by the
United States and Britain, that
both the commission and its repre-
sentatives in the Balkans would
continue to function indefinitely as
a result of the Councils failure to
find solution to the problem.
Agrees With Syrian.
He said he agreed completely with
the opinion expressed by Council
President Faris; ell Khoury of Syria.
THE subsidiary group is there
and I think it will be there as long
as the Security Council wants it to
stay" Mr.. Lie said. THAT is in
conformity with the previous action
of the Council"
Asked whether he believed the
failure of the Council to find a
solution to the Balkan dispute had
affected the prestige of the U. N,
Mr.. Lie said:
'Oh, certainly. But the situation
is no more serious in my opinion
than it was year ago. We have
reached a deadlock many times.
There is no more reason to be pessi-
mistic after yesterdays Russian
veto) action than there was last
year. The situation is about the
same"
Mr.. Lie expressed the belief that
the big power veto would get a
thorough airing at the General
Assembly meeting which opens Sep
tember Is.
Soviet Move Awaited.
Mr.. Lie made his declaration as
U. N. circles awaited a Soviet move
to withdraw her representatives
from the Balkan groups.
A majority of delegates expressed
belief that this would be Russia S
next move in renouncing the Secur-
ity Councils authority to intercede
in the dispute between Greece and
Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Albania.
Running Russia's string of vetoes
to Is, Soviet Deputy Foreign Mini
ster Andrei A. Gronyko twice used
the big power veto yesterday to kill
attempts at solving the Balkan
problem.
His action brought statement
from Mr. Ell Khoury that the lima
ton body had failed and must re-
port to the General Assembly when
it meets in New York September 16
that the veto had paralyzed the
Council.
British and American delegates,
meanwhile, considered the possibil-
ity of taking the Balkan problem
directly to the General Assembly.
Britain, U. S. May Move Alone.
It seemed almost certain on the
basis of Russia's use of the veto
that the Balkan problem would be
aired completely in the Assembly
and that every attempt would be
made by the British and Americans
to find some means there of hand
ling the case.
But If the Assembly should fail
to take action, then Britain and
the United States might be prepared
to move under a collective actor"
clause of the United Nations
Charter.
Under the Charter states can join
together for collective action in
defense of one or more of those
countries concerned.
With the Council now stalemated
on the Balkan issue, the 11-nation
body moved on today to resume dis
cussion of Egypt's demand that
Britain withdraw her troops from
Egypt and the Sudan.
The Council was scheduled to meet
at pm. to take up the Egyptian
case.
Several delegations we're under
stood to be considering possible
moves to settle the Egyptian-British
case.
Brazil was reported considering
advisability of proposing that Brit
ain and Egypt refer their differ
ences to the International Court of
Justice.
A British spokesman said his gov
ernment would accept such course
provided the case was taken out OF
the hands of the Security Council
The Egyptian delegation was under
stood to be opposed to submitting
the case to the court.
Meanwhile, the Security Council
(See U. NJ, Page A-6)