Evening star., 1948-11-08
u. Condemns
3Nationsfo forAid
ToGrIeek Rebels
Action on Bulgaria,
Albania, YueosIovio
Follows Long WronqIe
BY the Associated Press


PARIS, Nov. 8.-The United
Nations Political Committee
voted today to condemn Albania,
Bulgaria ! and Yugoslavia for
helping the Communist rebels in
Greece.
1t was the strongest action thus
far taken by any U. N. Assembly
body in the Balkans dispute.
BY vote of At to the commit
tee approved paragraph in four
power resolution declaring that
continued aid given by the three
Slav nations to the Greek guerrillas
endangers peace in the Balkans and
is inconsistent with the principles
of the United Nations Charter.
Vote Follows Long WrangIe.
The vote followed hours of
Wrangling, during which the Slav
bloc fought to stall the proceedings
and drew repeated tongue lashings
from the committee chairman,
Paul-Henri Spaak of Belgium.
The six Slav nations refused to
vote on the condemnation para
graph. They served notice they
would vote against the whole reso-
luton when it comes up. perhaps
later today. The veto does not apply.
Four nations we're absent when
the vote was taken and Ell Salvador
obstained.
The Assembly last year refused to
accept a proposal condemning the
three Balkan countries in the Greek
dispute. 1t merely called on them
to do nothing which could furnish
aid and assistance to Greek guer-
rillas. This time, however, the
Western powers are insistent upon
specific condemnation.
Executions Postponed.
Overnight, the Greek government
had responded to plea from the
president of the Assembly by post
poning execution of 10 seamen.
scheduled to die today.
DR.. Herbert V. Evatt, Australian
Foreign Minister and president of
the Assembly. asked the postpone
ment yesterday in cables to King
Paul and Premier Themistokles
Sophoulis.
DR.. Evatt said the executions
would seriously interfere with at
tempts he is pushing here for a
Balkan peace conference" in which
the Greeks would sit down to
negotiate with Yugoslavia, Albania
and Bulgaria.
Announced in Athens.
The postponement was announced
last night in Athens by the Greek
Ministry Of Justice. which gave no
indication of what future action
might be taken in the case.
The 10 seamen had been convicted
OF subversive activity by a maritime
tribunal last week. They were
charged with collecting money from
members of the merchant marine to
support the Communist leader, Mar
kos Vafiades, and his rebel guer-
rillas.
The executions had been injected
into the hot debate on Greece in
the U. N. Political Committee by
Yugoslav spokesman who read what
he said was a protest from a Greek
trades union in Athens against the
executions.
Australia to Rush Resolution.
DR.. Evatt meanwhile instructed
the Australian delegate in the Po-
litical Committee to fight for pass
age of a resolution calling for
meeting between Greece and her
northern neighbors. Representa-
tives of the four nations would meet
with DR.. Evatt and, U. N. Secretary
General Trygve Lie to determine
whether there is any chance for sue
cesSful conciliation.
Mass executions in Greece were
protested earlier this year by Brit
ain, France, Russia and Denmark,
but the Greek government rejected
the protests.
After 2l3 prisoners were reported
executed during the first week in
May, Press Minister Michael Ali
amos said 1920 persons had been
executed between June, 1916, and
May, 1948.
The U. N. Special Committee on
the Balkans last year asked the
Security Council whether it should
handle protests against executions
(See GREECE, Page A-6J