CFM Files
United States Delegation Journal
USDel (PC) (Journal) 58
M. Politis (Greece) explained his amendment (CP(IT/EC) Doc 68)44 providing Italy should be obligated to negotiate with the Greek Government for settlement of a debt amounting to $64,800,000 which was contracted during the occupation but which did not represent an advance to cover occupation costs. M. Aroutiunian (U.S.S.R.) said [Page 619] that there were many levies laid down by the enemy in addition to those falling under occupation costs. However, he considered such claims should be considered as reparation. Mr. Reinstein (U.S.) said the U.S. Delegation felt it would have to abstain from voting in view of the fact that on the basis of the data available there was no way of evaluating this claim properly. Although it was too late to ask for a postponement of the problem in the Commission, he expressed the hope that the Greek Delegation would circulate the text of the pertinent agreement before the Plenary Session so that the U.S. Delegation could take an informed position. M. Bartos (Yugoslavia) pointed out that the four drafting powers had agreed that the removal of Yugoslav rolling stock pursuant to an agreement between the Germans and Rumanians, was a case of looting and should be dealt with as a reparation problem. He asked why the Greek request should be accorded different treatment. Mr. Gregory (U.K.) pointed out that the Greek claim was a pecuniary one and agreed with Mr. Reinstein that it would be difficult to vote on the Greek amendment without having further information.
M. Politis assured the Commission of the contractual character of the Greek-Italian agreement and the obligation undertaken by Italy to refund certain advances over and above those incurred for occupation costs. He asked the Chairman if he could defer the consideration of the amendment until after he had circulated the text of the agreement as had been suggested by Mr. Reinstein. The Chairman suggested it was too late to defer voting on the Greek amendment. M. Politis withdrew his amendment stating that in view of the fact that several members had expressed the wish for further information the Greek Delegation would prefer to table their amendment later.
M. Politis then moved his amendment (CP Gen Doc 1.J.18) requesting Italy to forego all rights to participate in any commission operating in Greece. He explained that the financial settlement of Greek bankruptcy in 1897 had established a Control Commission, composed of Great Britain, France, Italy, Russia, Austria and Germany. After the last war Germany and Austria ceased to participate, Russia had dropped out in 1917 and Greece had obtained the holdings of these countries although he realized that the Italian holdings could be seized under Article 69, he wished to make it clear that Greece did not consider it proper for Italy to remain a member of the Commission.
M. Bartos supported the Greek proposal. Mr. Gregory also supported it but suggested the precise commission to which it referred should be mentioned. Mr. Reinstein also asked that the amendment be modified to specify the commission. M. Aroutiunian suggested [Page 620] that it was a regrettable anachronism that such a Commission survived to interfere in the internal affairs of Greece. M. Politis modified his amendment to read: “Italy renounces all participation in the International Financial Commission in Greece”. M. Bartos expressed violent indignation to the amendment as modified and withdrew his support, saying he had thought M. Politis did not wish the enslavement of Greece. M. Aroutiunian expressed the belief that certain members were trying to give official sanction to an anachronistic Financial Commission whose membership was only one-third of its original composition.
A vote was taken on the revised amendment and it was approved 13–7, Byelorussia, China, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Ukraine, U.S.S.R. and Yugoslavia voting against the amendment.
The Yugoslav amendment to paragraph 6 Article 66 (CP (IT/EC) Doc 66)45 was approved unanimously as was paragraph 6 as amended and Article 66 as a whole.
Annex 6 A (Industrial, Literary, and Artistic Property) was adopted unanimously with the amendment (CP (IT/EC) Doc 75)46 suggested by the U.S. Delegation to bring the text into conformity with that already approved by the Balkan Commission.
Annex 8 A (Prize Courts) was adopted unanimously as drafted.