DAILY SUMMARY - 1946/04/22

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Daily Summary Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01068494
• Document Creation Date: September 11, 2018

Approved for Release: 2018/09/05 CO1068494
APPROVED FOR RELEASE - Historical Programs Staff 30 August 2018
JA APR 1946
1. sagazigisimLiz.fitz,..1_0.1.E,s the A sziaLdrat,,-u=ty at the forthcoming
Foreign Ministers meeting in Paris, the US has informed-httolotov.
The US hopes that the Soviet representative will also be prepared to
discuss this question.
2. Soviet objectives in Paris Conference--Dunn believes that the issues
ErbTffssed at the Foreign Ministers' meeting between (a) the USSR
and (b) the other three powers reflect basic objectives so divergent
that the chances of agreement lie chiefly in the possibility that the USSR
will find it essential to improve its world standing and its relations with
the UK and US. Soviet willingness to make the necessary concessions
will depend largely on (a) specific advantages such as reparations or
ships, (b) the effect of the treaties on the Soviet position with the "ex-
enemy states" and (c) the effect on Soviet relations with the UK and USE:.
EUROPE-AFRICA
3, FRANCE: Present Government likely to� remain--Caffery reports that,
despite MRP opposition to the Assembly-approved Constitution, MRP
ministers (especially Bidault) are willing to remain in the Government. ,
Caffery adds that the Socialists will attempt to preserve the present
Government because they fear (a) a too-intimate association with the
Communists, (b) weakening French prestige on the eve of the Conference
of Foreign Ministers, and (c) Bidault's replacement by a Communist as
Minister of Foreign Affairs.
5?
4. GREECE: Greek, UK and US views on lebiscite--According to Embassy
Athens, the Greek Foreign Minister fears that extreme rightist and
royalist groups may force an immediate plebiscite on the question of
the Monarchy. The British Ambassador in Athens believes (a) that the
plebiscite probably cannot be postponed beyond September, and (b) that
Foreign Secretary Bevin is "coming around" to the same opinion.
The State Department was recently informed by the Greek Am-
bassador that his Government feels Greek economic rehabilitation can
make no real progress until the question of the plebiscite is settled.
The Department replied that the US (a) considers Greek economic pro-
blems to be much more pressing than the constitutional question, and
(b) feels that the plebiscite should not be held before the spring of 1947
at the earliest.
Document No.
NO CHANGE in Class. 0
0 DECLASSIFIED
Class. CHAN.= TD: TS
DDA Memo, 4. Apr 77
Auth: DDA RI:� 77/1763
Date: 1 4 MAR 197a By: (I
Approved for Release: 2018/09/05 001068494
Approved for Release: 2018/09/05 CO1068494
APPROVED FOR RELEASE - Historical Programs Staff 30 August 2018
GWV
5. GREECE: Government � -sses claim Ihem n Epirus--Dunn reports
� that the Greek Gpvernment has again requested the Council of Foreign
� Ministers to consider Greek claims to Northern Epirus (now part of
� southern Albania). Dunn comments that the present Greek request (a)
is clearly within the terms of reference of the Council of Foreign Minis-
ters under the Potsdam protocol, and (b) might properly be considered
after discussion of the peace treaties. The British have informed Dunn
that they will probably favor discussion of the Greek claims.
6. USSR: US stand 21.1.s.122,121.1ylas - T h e War and Navy Departments
� have agreed that it is undesirable for Soviet Naval personnel to sail
tug boats purchased by the USSR on US inland waterways and have there-
� fore specified New Orleans instead of Point Pleasant, West Virginias
as the point of delivery for the vessels (see Daily Summary 18 April,
item 8).
7. USSR: Interest in US news broadcasts in Russian--Ambassador Smith
reports that many Soviet informants, who have indicated that they listen
� regularly and with great interest to BBC Russian-language news broad-
casts, state that US broadcasts to the USSR would be even more popular
since British news is considered "slightly suspect." Smith comments
that Soviet listeners would have greater confidence in US Government
'broadcasts than in any news broadcast by private concerns, which the
Soviet public regards as "capitalistic and monopolistic."
8. AUSTRIA: New Soviet position on land requisitions--Foreign Minister
Gruber hasormed the US Political Adviser that the USSR agrees to
take no Austrian land, but to negotiate for German-owned land under
the terms of the Potsdam protocol. Gruber estimates that the negotia-
tions might involve some 60,000 acres, 40,000 of which the Austrian*
Government would agree might be taken by the USSR, since forced trans-
fer to the Germans could not be proved.
9. LIBYA: Arab League supports Libyan "rights"--US Legation Cairo
has received a note from the Arab League stating that the Libyans,
supported by the Arab world, (a) reject reestablishment of Italian rule
in Libya or a division of the country, and (b) demand a plebiscite, to
� be conducted by UN and the Arab League, as well as a chance for inde-
pendence and a suitable form of government.
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Approved for Release: 2018/09/05 CO1068494
Approved for Release: 2018/09/05 CO1068494
APPROVED FOR RELEASE - Historical Programs Staff 30 August 2018
10. CHINA: Leaders believe unfi_cliLm_ US responsibillby-..China
� Theater Headquarters reports that during General Marshall's absence
neither Generalissimo Chiang nor Communist leader Mao advanced
any "suitable solutions or compromise proposals" (a) to stop the full-
scale civil war in Manchuria or (o) to settle the political disputes con-
nected with the establishment of a coalition government. Both apparently
consider the attempt to unify China, begun under US leadership, is now
a direct US responsibility.
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Approved for Release: 2018/09/05 CO1068494