HC Deb 17 March 1948 vol 448 cc2094-5
66. Major Tufton Beamish

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now in a position to make a further statement concerning outside aid to the rebel forces in Greece contrary to the terms of the Peace Treaty.

Mr. Mayhew

Yes, Sir. The reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Lewes (Major Beamish) on 16th February has been seriously misrepresented by commentators in the Soviet Union and elsewhere. I am grateful for this opportunity of stating clearly and unequivocally that both the majority report of the Balkans Inquiry Commission and the interim reports of the Special Balkans Committee now in Salonica, have established that assistance is being afforded by Yugoslavia, Albania and Bulgaria to the guerrilla forces in Greece. Moreover, the committees for Aid to Greece set up in Hungary and Roumania cannot be acting without the active approval of their Governments.

Major Beamish

Is it a cause of surprise to the Minister that similar distortions of his statement were made by "Daily Worker"? Does he think that they are likely to publish a correction?

Mr. Mayhew

It was no surprise to see these distortions, nor will it be a surprise if my further statement is also distorted.

Mr. Blackburn

Is my hon. Friend intimating what Secretary of State Marshall said yesterday, that the decision of the United Nations is being continuously flouted by these Soviet satellites, and that unless we are to go back to the old business of appeasement of totalitarianism effective action must be taken now?

Mr. Mayhew

I am sure that this problem would quickly be solved if all the member nations co-operated with the United Nations in its solution. Certainly the record of the co-operation of certain member States with the United Nations Commission bears out the interpretation suggested by my hon. Friend.

Mr. Blackburn

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.