760H.68/7–2145: Telegram

The Chargé in Yugoslavia (Shantz) to the Secretary of State

300. Following is text of FonOff note of July 19:

“With reference to a memoranda of the United States Embassy of July 13,46 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Democratic Federative Yugoslavia have the honour to communicate the following facts:

Things which are regretted by the Government of Democratic Federative Yugoslavia as liable to endanger good relations between Yugoslavia and Greece, have been happening for one month already.

Besides persecutions of the population of Macedonian nationality which is in consequence fleeing over border and seeking for refuge in over [apparent omission] of writing in the Greek press, and besides manifestations against Yugoslavia, Greek forces have also been making excesses by using firearms thus endangering security at our southern frontier.

1. On June 2, 1945 at 10 hours, at the frontier point Bogorodica Greek soldiers fired from rifles and light machine guns at our personnel. The shooting lasted 5 minutes without interruption.

2. Person on the same day and the same place, at 16 hours rifles and light machine guns were again discharged from Greek side.

3. June 9, 1945 at 11 hours at Macukovo, a border village, Greek soldiers fired at our frontier guards. Shooting was repeated at 14 hours.

4. On June 27, 1945 at Balarce, on Bulgarian soil, just on the triple frontier point an incident occurred between two British tanks and Bulgarian forces. During this incident bullets which were shot from rifles on the Greek side started falling into our territory, while shots from machine guns covered our area along the border. The shooting lasted for several minutes.

5. On the same day, June 27, on the Yugoslav-Greek border at Kajmakcalan, Greek guards fired shots at our frontier guards.

At Gradska, a village near Djevdjelija, shots were fired from mine throwers and machine guns on the Greek side into our territory. Splinters were falling close to the village.

6. In July 8, 1945 at Djevdjelija, shots were fired on the Greek side into our territory. The villages Stojavt and Gradiska were within the range of shots from rifles. At latter and near to the frontier a splinter from a mine thrower fell.

Strictly following their orders received from their superiors our frontier guards answered in none of the above cases.

The repeating of such excess committed by Greek forces against our territory, the persecution of our co-nationals, the often and sometimes noisy manifestations against Yugoslavia make one believe that there are elements in Greece who do want that Yugoslav-Greek relations be all but such ones of correct neighbourhood.”

Shantz
  1. See telegram 192, July 11, 7 p.m., to Belgrade, p. 320.