800.4016 DP/11–1445: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Greece (MacVeagh)1
1190. Pls inform FonOff that this Govt regrets that Greek Govt appears (urtel 1294, Nov 142) to have given so little consideration to our recommendations re repatriation of Ital residents in Greece (Deptel 989, Sept 203) and say that we would be grateful if FonOff could clarify present situation.
If situation outlined urtel under reference is confirmed you should say to FonOff that, while we are fully conscious of justified Greek feelings in this matter, it is this Govt’s considered view that no lasting advantage will accrue to Greece if humanitarian principles are not observed and added rancors avoided. You should point out impossibility of UNRRA assuming burden of caring for deportees under existing regulations as well as difficulties which Allied officials in Italy would be called upon to meet, and state that this Govt hopes, if Greek Govt is determined to proceed with deportation of all Ital residents, to [Page 354] have orderly procedure worked out in advance which would facilitate transfers and mitigate serious hardships arising from present procedure.
- Reported in substance in airgram A–547, December 12, to Rome.↩
- Not printed; in it the Department had been informed of the steady deportation to Italy of pre-1940 Italian residents during the “past fortnight”, and of reported Greek Foreign Office hostility to the reestablishment of diplomatic relations with Italy while the deportee question remained unsettled (800.4016–D.P./11–1445).↩
- See footnote 83, p. 346.↩