note of April 1 6 proposing certain plans for action in Albania in the
event that Tito's survival should be seriously threatened by the Com-
inform. Commenting on these proposals, Mr. McGhee continued by
saying that both the United States and Greece recognize Albania as
a sovereign and independent State. As members of the United Na-
tions, both countries must also refrain from any action with respect
to Albania which would be a violation of the .Charter. Because of the
Greek North Epirus claim, any military action which Greece might
take in Albania would be misinterpreted and provide a field day for
Russian propaganda. The proper way to handle this claim is through
the CFM and not by sending troops into Albania.
  Ambassador Dendramis interjected that the Greeks did not pro-
pose to use force in connection with Albania. There had merely been
some irresponsible articles along this line by a retired General. The
Greeks, he said, would take no action whatever in this connection
without American approval. What they were really thinking of, he
continued, was eventual action by the US and the UK looking towards
the establishment of "international control" over Northern Epirus.
  Ambassador Grady commented that many middle-ranking officers
in the Greek Army, and not only a retired General, were tempted by
the advantages of entering Albania in connection with the forth-
coming Vitsi campaig-n.7 'The newspaper Acropolis had also been
sponsoring the idea. General Papagos, however, has no such plans,
for he understands that, in entering Albania, the Greek Army might
well be entering a trap and become involved with the Albanian Army.
  Returning to the subject of the Greek memorandum      of April 1,
which implied the Greek need of a larger Army, Mr. McGhee said
it must be understood that the present basis of our military aid to
Greece was to enable Greece to maintain an Army adequate to restore
internal order. At a time when we are having difficulties obtaining
appropriations for this purpose, it would be out of the question to
change the basis of our military aid to Greece and ask for more funds
for a larger Greek Army for some other pupose. Our policy aims only
at quelling the guerrilla movement.
  Ambassador Dendramis suggested that this was the policy only "for
the moment."

  The memorandum under reference is not printed, but see the memorandum
of conversation by Cromie, April 1, p. 287.
  1 Telegram 1321, Combal 447, July 8, from Athens, niot printed, reported
,that
during a conversation with Drew on July 7, Pipinelis recalled that a proposal
advanced by Greek military authorities to move into Albania to crush the
Greek
guerrillas had been hotly debated in the Greek Council of State in late 1948.
Pipinelis had opposed such an invasion in 1948, but he wondered what he would
decide if again faced by such a proposal (501.BB Balkan/7-849). In his telegram
1445, Combal 458, July 25, from Athens, not printed, Drew reported that the
agitation in the press and in official Greek quarters to neutralize Albania
by
direct action was assuming serious proportions (5011.3 Balkan/7-2549).


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