Evening star., 1949-05-20
u. ). S.toContinue
Greek Till
Red Peril Ends
Stote Department
Burs Soviet TuIks
Outside of u. N.

The State Department said to-
day that the United States would
continue military aid to Greece as
long as its northern neighbors
menaced it's independence, and
told Russia that the way to get
peace there is to get the satellite
state to cease aiding the Greek
guerrillas.
The State Department issued a
statement in response to the an
nouncement last night in Moscow
of a purported Russian offer to
help settle the Greek civil war
The statement gave in detail the
American position outlined to
Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister
Andrei Gromyko at the United
Nations in New York recently.
In London, the British Foreign
Office earlier today said that
Britain would refuse to negotiate
q settlement of the Greek civil
war behind the back of the Greek
government"
Talks Outside y. n. Barred.
Making clear that this Govern
ment would not enter any negotia-
tions with Russia about the Greek
situation outside of the United
Nations, the statement called on
the Soviet Union to use its inf1u-
ence in supporting United Nations
efforts to restore peace in Greece.
It blamed actions of Russia her
self, especially in encouraging
illegal operations" by Bulgaria,
Albania and Yugoslavia in aiding
Greek rebels for continued strife
there.
Informal conversations with Mr.
Gromyko involving Greece Weer
started by Assistant Secretary OF
State Dean Rusk and Hector Nc
Neil. British Minister of State,
during informal dinner table talk
on April 26, the statement said.
AT one point in this conversa-
ton" it added. "Mr Rusk eX-
pressed the hope that the three
governments would use their in
fuence to bring about a settle
ment of the Greek question. y
officials explained that Mr.
Rusk had no idea of starting any
formal negotiations with Russia,
but was in effect suggesting that
that Soviet Union call off the
dogs by influencing Bulgaria. a.
bania and Yugoslavia to stop their
illegal assistance to Greek Com
munist guerrillas.
Talked to Gromyko May 4.
In another talk with Mr.. Gro
myko on May the statement
said, "Mr. Rusk and Mr.. Mcneil
made it clear that such an in
formal conversation should imply
no change in the forum for dis
cussing the Greek question from
existing United Nations chan
nels."
In explaining the American
position, the statement said:
United States Military assist
ance (to Greece became neces-
sary because of the direct threat
to the independence and integ-
rity of Greece. 1t was in direct
response to the situation created
by the illegal Intervention of
Greece's northern neighbors.
so long as that situation con-
tinues, the United States will
not relax its determination to
assist the Greeks in protecting
themselves against this form of
aggression.
I'VE would, however. welcome
a bona fide effort by the Soviet
Union to remove the threat to
the peace and security of the
Greek people, and hope that it
will use its influence in full sup
port of the United Nations in
seeking a settlement"
No Mention of Paris Talk.
Declaring that at no time dur
ing the informal talks with Mr..
Gromyko was there any sugges-
ton that the Council of Foreign
Ministers meeting in Paris next
week take up the Greek question,
the statement added:
THE United States has consiS-
tently taken the view that we are
prepared to discuss any matter
with the Soviet Union in the
proper forum; in the case of the
Greek question it is the United
Nations in which the Greek gov
ernment would have full partici-
patton"
The department emphasized
that the basic issue in the Greek
situation is the viola tion of
Greece's northern frontier by mil
itary and other assistance to the
rebel forces in Greece" This
viewpoint was stressed to Mr..
Gromyko in three conversations
on April 26, May and May Ia.
In blaming Russia herself for